Voldemort's Son
by befoulmetalroosa
Summary: A bargain in first year sends Harry Potter's future in a different direction. Eventual Slash. Draco/Harry. Some character bashing.
1. Chapter 1

**ONE**

The eleven year old found himself in the chamber beyond the last challenge, staring at professor Quirrel. In the background stood the Mirror of Erised, and Harry's pocket felt heavy with the Philosopher's stone. He'd been dragged before it by the stuttering professor, and had watched, eyes wide, as his reflection winked at him before dropping the stone into its pocket. Harry felt the twin of the reflected stone drop into his own trouser pocket, and flinched when Quirrel moved closer. "Ok now, Potter, hand the stone over and you can go."

"N..no," the boy stammered, backing away from the teacher. "I don't believe you. I don't _trust_ you."

 _"Let me talk to the boy,"_ a voice seemed to hiss menacingly.

"B..but master, I can handle this..."

 _"No! I wish to speak to the boy. Let me talk to Potter."_ Shivering, Quirrel raised his hands to the turban swathing his head and slowly unraveled it, letting the strip of cloth fall to the stone floor as he turned, revealing the misshapen face on the back of his bald head. Harry flinched away from the red eyes glowering at him and took a shuffling step back in fear. _"Now, boy, you see what I am. What I've become. Give me the stone so that I may return to my former glory and regain my power again."_ Harry stared at the face, his mind whirling with thoughts as his hand gripped the stone in his pocket.

"I...I'll give you the stone, but you need to do something for me, first," the boy finally replied, pain shining in emerald eyes. The ruby eyes on the back of the teacher's head narrowed speculatively as they saw that pain.

 _"What do you wish, Harry Potter?"_

"I...I want you to swear that you'll take me away from here. That you'll hide me somewhere and keep me safe."

 _"Safe from whom, child?"_

"Everyone," the weary boy answered, sagging a little. "My relatives hurt me, and everyone here treats me like I'm a freak. I didn't even want to _do_ this, but something kept pushing me."

 _"A compulsion charm, perhaps? Quirrel, on your knees so that I may look at the boy more closely."_ The professor slowly sank to his knees, and Harry stepped a little closer to the face on the back of the man's cranium, looking fearfully into the ruby eyes staring back at him. _"Legilimens,"_ the face hissed, and Harry felt the gentle invasion of another in his mind. The invader felt almost familiar, and the boy relaxed at the almost comforting feeling of recognition as the Dark Lord examined his thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It was when he'd brushed against a presence in the back of the boy's mind that pain spiked through the child's head, making him scream and clutch at it. Voldemort quickly backed out of Potter's mind, eyes wide with shock. He watched as the boy collapsed to the stone floor, moaning and rocking at the pain that throbbed through his skull. _"The child is a horcrux, Quirrel. The only living horcrux, made that night when I went to kill him. He is most precious to me, and we must take steps to protect him."_ He turned his eyes back to the preteen on the floor, who had sat up slowly as Voldemort spoke to his vessel. _"You have my solemn promise, Harry Potter, that I will do everything in my power to protect you. Now, give me the stone, and your summer address, and as soon as I am able, I will come for you."  
_

* * *

"Harry my boy," the headmaster said cheerfully, blue eyes twinkling merrily. The child sat hunched over in the chair in front of the desk, eyes on his hands. The headmaster frowned for a moment before he cleared his throat gently, getting the boy's attention. Emerald eyes looked into blue, and Dumbledore scanned over the surface of the child's mind, frowning deeper as he came to a blank spot in the child's memories. The twinkle faded from his eyes as he looked worriedly at the small preteen. "What happened, child? Where were you, and where is the stone?"

"I…I don't know, headmaster," Harry answered softly, looking back down at his hands. Voldemort had placed protections around the memories of the entire journey to get the stone, and the child relaxed minutely as he stared at his fingers. "I don't remember."

* * *

His body ached as he lay stretched out on his bed, and he was sure that he had a broken wrist. After Voldemort had made his promise, and Harry had handed over the stone and his address, the child thought he'd maybe spend a couple of days with the Dursleys before being rescued. However, it was going on the sixth week back in hell, and his body was showing the results of it. Bruises littered his skin from his uncle's beatings, and Dudley had pushed him down the stairs, resulting in his broken wrist and a sprained ankle. His glasses had fallen to the floor and shattered, so now he was nearly blind, as well. After another two hours of screaming and slaps to the head, he'd been locked in his room for breaking his glasses. He whimpered softly as he thought of how thoroughly he'd been fooled by the man who had killed his parents. The fact that he'd made such a bargain with the murderer didn't really matter to him; he was just desperate to get away from _everything._

A loud knock on the front door startled Harry from his self-pity, and his head rose from the bed. He could feel a curl of anticipation in his stomach, and he gingerly got up, gathering his wand, a photo album that was a gift from his first friend, Hagrid, and his invisibility cloak carefully, with his uninjured hand, from beneath the floorboards under his bed. He became jittery as he heard the low murmur of voices, before a loud gasp and a small shriek alerted him that his rescuer had finally arrived. Cradling his broken wrist against his body, he stood near the bedroom door and tucked his treasures into the pockets of the oversized jeans that were his cousin's hand-me-downs, listening as a light tread ascended the stairs. The many locks on the outside of the door were slowly released, and the door opened equally slowly to reveal his aunt's panicked face.

"Boy," she hissed, voice filled with terror. "Get downstairs at once. Someone is waiting for you." She quickly backed out of the doorway, waiting for Harry to walk ahead of her. He did, feeling very uncomfortable with his aunt at his back, but he was sure she wouldn't try anything with his savior just downstairs. He descended carefully, limping, his ankle still not completely stable from the fall, and smiled widely at the man standing in the entryway. He was tall, with wavy black hair that fell to his collar, and ruby eyes that looked at him with something very like protectiveness. Gesturing imperiously, he beckoned the small child over to him, frowning at the injuries and the obvious malnutrition. Turning his burning crimson gaze to the others in the house, a snarl curled his lips.

"You _dare_ to treat a wizarding child like this, you filth? You are nothing more than _cattle_ ," Voldemort hissed, eyes narrowing threateningly. A tug at his hand had him looking down at Harry, his ire forgotten at the look of pain on the child's face. He knelt instantly, soothing the boy as he murmured promises in the child's ear. Harry wrapped his arms around the man's neck, trembling as he buried his face in Voldemort's hair. Riddle wrapped his own arms around the boy's waist, standing easily and frowning again at the obvious starvation. Without another word, he summoned and shrunk Harry's trunk and beckoned it to his hand to tuck into a pocket, turned on the spot, and whisked himself and his precious cargo away from the terrified muggles.

* * *

Harry stared around in wonder at the huge bedroom. His eyes had been fixed by a vision correction potion that Voldemort had ordered one of his house elves to procure; his wrist and ankle had also been seen to, and he smiled as he saw every bit of the room in crystal clarity. In front of him was a full-sized bed, done in various shades of green. His trunk, resized when Tom had removed it from his pocket, stood at the foot of the bed. The older man had frowned again at the paltry number of personal effects the child had unpacked, and promised to take him shopping the next morning. The thick cream carpet beneath his bare feet felt like he was standing on a cloud, and the wide windows let in an abundance of natural light. Sighing, he approached his bed, perching himself on the edge and ready to lie down. Unfortunately, a different house elf took that moment to pop into the room, startling a small scream from the jittery child.

"I is being sorry, little master sir. I not being meaning to scare little master sir. I is being sent to ask if little master sir wants to being eating something."

"What's your name?" Harry asked softly, his voice trembling from the small scare, smiling slightly at the weird cadence to the little elf's speech.

"Sandie, little master sir," the elf answered hesitantly.

"Well, Sandie, I would love something to eat. Please stop calling me little master sir. My name is Harry and I'm pleased to meet you." Harry stuck out his hand, and the little elf carefully took it, eyes wide as the boy solemnly shook her hand.

"Yes, sir, little master sir. I is being bringing food right away." With another pop, the elf disappeared, only to reappear moments later with a tray table laden with so many delights that Harry's mouth watered with the succulent scents. "I is being your elf, Master Harry sir. Sir needs something, call Sandie." With that, the elf popped away, leaving behind a very hungry, bemused child. Snickering fondly, Harry carefully dug into the food, sampling everything on the tray. Unfortunately, though he was hungry, and severely malnourished, he could only eat a small portion of everything, leaving a great deal of food untouched. Groaning at his full belly, he lay down on the bed, curling up around a large stuffed bear Tom had given him and falling asleep almost instantly. A short time later, his house elf returned to the room, snapping her fingers to vanish the tray. She ran a hand an inch above the child's prostrate form, changing his clothing into pajamas, and tucked a comforter around the small boy.

* * *

"Sandie," Riddle called softly. The elf popped into view in front of the wizard, bowing deeply to the man. "How is my charge doing? Did he eat enough?"

"Little master sir is being sleeping. Sandie is being giving little master sir a selection of food. Little master sir is being eating very little of the food."

"Hmm," Tom murmured, "I expected as much. He'd not been fed well living with those despicable muggles, and it will take him some time to get used to eating regularly." The elf frowned at this information, a small growl erupting from her. Riddle smirked at the protective vibe coming from the little being, very pleased at the instant devotion the elf was showing his ward. "Indeed. I feel the same way, Sandie. Tell me, does your kind go in for any sort of revenge?"

"We is being taking a pound of flesh from those who hurt special charges," she answered, a nearly feral smile cracking her face. "House elf magic is not being registering unless _we want_ to being register."

"Excellent," the Dark Lord purred with satisfaction. "Will you be able to follow my magical signature back to the child's relatives?"

"Yes, Lord Master sir."

"I want you to _visit_ them without their knowledge. I want you to cast your elf magic on them, preventing them from being able to gain any sustenance from their food. I want you to make them feel what it's like to starve. However, I do not wish for them to die right away. They must suffer for as long as they made that child suffer."

"As you wish, Lord Master sir," Sandie replied, bowing deeply again before she popped away. Tom swore he could almost hear the little elf cackling evilly as she disappeared.

* * *

Harry mumbled something incoherent as he rolled over in the nice, soft, comfy bed. He burrowed his nose back into the bear, inhaling the soft scent of spring wafting from the synthetic fur, the comforter nearly covering his head before consciousness started to impinge on him. Slowly, he became aware of the soft, comfortable bed and the warm comforter and the fluffy pillow and his arms hugging a fuzzy stuffed animal. Sitting up, a puzzled frown on his face, he looked around frantically, wondering what in the nine hells he'd gotten himself into before memory returned in a rush. Collapsing bonelessly on the bed, he heaved a huge sigh of relief. _I'm safe,_ he thought contentedly. _My savior came and rescued me from that horrid life. I never have to go back there again._ Looking at the windows, he saw the early morning light. His eyebrows skated into his hairline as he realized that he'd slept through most of the day before and all night. _Must've been tired._

A pop alerted him that his favorite elf had come back, and he turned his head, smiling widely at Sandie. She blushed at the attention as she placed a tray table beside the bed. "Mmmm," Harry hummed as he took a deep breath of the scents of breakfast. "I've never had bacon. I've always liked how it smelled, and it looked good when I was cooking it, but I was never allowed to have it. Thank you."

"You is being welcome, Master Harry sir." The preteen sat up on the edge of the bed, looking at the feast laid out before him. He looked at the elf, eyebrow quirked for a moment.

"This is too much," he finally said. "Would you like to join me?"

"S…Sandie is being honored, Master Harry sir." She waved her hand and summoned the desk chair. Climbing into it, she sat on the other side of the tray table, looking at the food. She conjured another plate, and together the pair chose what they wanted to eat from the large selection of food. This was the scene that the Dark Lord came in upon when he went to check on his charge. He stood in the doorway, smiling fondly as he watched Harry and the little elf converse as if they had been friends for a very long time.

"Harry, as soon as you and your little friend are finished, I'd like to speak to you in the den." Tom turned and left the room, but not before he heard the elf hiss, "Don't worry, Master Harry sir, he is not being mad." Smirking, the Dark Lord went to his den to wait for the child.

It was about twenty minutes later that Harry finally entered the den, being led by Sandie who gave the Dark Lord an impressive glare before she popped away. "Sit down, Harry. There is much we need to discuss." Nodding, the child took the leather chair in front of the desk, eyes widening minutely as Riddle rose and rounded the desk, sitting in the chair next to the boy. "The first item of business. Would you like to be my son and heir, or would you wish to remain a Potter?"

"Y…you want to…to… _adopt_ me?" the child asked incredulously, eyes wide.

"If you wish it, yes. I would be honored to call you my son."

"Wh…why? I mean, I'm just a scrawny freak. Why would you want to adopt _me_?" Tom scowled darkly at the words the boy spoke, and Harry started to tremble, afraid he'd made the man mad. "I'm sorry!" he gasped quickly. "I didn't mean to make you mad. Please don't send me away!"

Tom reached out and gently pulled the young man onto his lap, rubbing soothing circles into his back. "I'm not mad at you. I'm angry at all the people who made you feel as if you weren't worth their time or consideration. I'm angry at all the people who treated you like you didn't matter. And I'm angry at all the people who made you doubt your true worth. As for why, you are supposedly the one set to defeat me by prophecy. That tells me of the incredible magical strength you will have when you come of age. As well, you remind me painfully of myself at your age. I, too, was abused by muggles, and I vowed never to allow another wizarding child to suffer what you and I have suffered. Additionally, as I said when we first met, you are one of my horcruxes. In fact, you are the only remaining horcrux. I discovered when I researched the ritual to use the stone that I had to have most of my soul intact for the magic to work, so I reabsorbed my other safeguards. An unknown side-effect was that I regained my sanity. That gives me the impetus to protect you, and I'm growing rather _fond_ of you as well." Harry burrowed his head in Tom's shoulder, trembling.

"You haven't answered me, little one. Would you like me to adopt you?" The child could only nod, tears choking him. "Very good. I will set up the necessary ritual items, and we will do it this weekend. Would you like to return to Hogwarts next year? I guarantee that no one would be able to touch you once the adoption takes place. We can have you re-sorted if you wish, or I can petition the School Board of Governors to overrule your current placement and have you put in the Slytherin dorms. The children there will protect you with their lives, once they realize you are my son and heir." Harry pulled away, sniffling, and rubbed his eyes.

"I…I think so," he answered softly. "I want to continue my magical education, and there are some Slytherins I'd like to know better. I'd also like to try and make amends to Malfoy. I should've listened to him my first year."

"Very well. We shall call you Harrison Salazar Riddle. Your middle name is in honor of Salazar Slytherin, Hogwarts founder and my great many times over grandfather. Now, about this prophecy that I set into motion that dreadful Halloween night. First, let me say that I…regret causing you pain. I cannot apologize for killing your parents. They were in the way of my achieving my goals. I will, however, apologize for trying to kill you. I was not in my right mind at the time; the prophecy made me fear for my life. Had I been able to think rationally, I would have realized that going after you is what set the prophecy in motion. I do not know the full of it; however, I do believe that if we change the course of things now, the prophecy will become void.

"I promise to protect you and keep you safe," he continued in a softer voice, cuddling the child closer. "I will do everything within my power to accomplish this. It means that you will have no part in this war between the Dark and the Light. Dumbledore will not be able to manipulate you into anything ever again. To ensure that he will not be able to feed you potions, Sandie will be your personal house elf at the castle, and she will be the _only_ one to handle your food and drink. I will advise Lucius to assign a personal house elf for Draco, as well. I fear that, in failing to obtain your complete obedience, the headmaster will try and target those who may be close to you. I am hoping that you may come to see Draco as a good friend, in time. You will never be alone with Dumbledore; I will see to it that Severus is named your guardian ad litem while in school, and that the headmaster will not be able to call you to his office for a 'friendly chat'."

"Okay," Harrison whispered softly, wrapping his arms around the man's neck and hugging him tightly. "Thank you for everything."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to leylinjan for pointing out a mistake. I was unaware that Luxembourg was its own country. I've corrected it. Please, people, keep up the good work in keeping my fics as accurate as possible, within the AU universe, of course.

* * *

 **Two**

True to his word, after their conversation Tom had taken Harrison out to pick up all the sundry items and clothing the preteen would need to live in the manor. Reluctant to take him to Diagon Alley, as it would be too easy to lose Harrison in the crowds there, Tom elected to take him to the Magie Verkäufer Boulevard in Luxembourg. There, he bought the boy casual robes, dress robes, formal robes, informal robes and muggle jeans and t-shirts in various shades of blue, green, grey, and black. They then went to the German branch of Flourish and Blotts, where they were able to purchase his school books as well as books Harrison needed to learn about wizarding traditions and customs. Tom had let Harrison pick out a few books of his own, and the child had gravitated to the shelves that held the darker arts. He picked out some spell books, a couple of the potions manuals, charms and transfiguration texts, as well as some texts on the darker magical creatures. When Tom asked him if he wanted to get anything of a lighter nature, Harrison shook his head, saying that the lighter magic seemed to make him sick. Tom frowned at this revelation, vowing to do a heritage potion when they returned to the manor.

Harrison got both a lead cauldron and a silver cauldron. Tom was going to insist that Severus take the boy aside in the evenings and tutor him in potions. The child had expressed an interest in spell crafting, so Tom got him some basic arithmancy and ancient runes texts to go with everything else. They stopped at the apothecary, where they got all of Harrison's potions supplies for his second year, as well as extras for the tutoring sessions. Harrison seemed excited but apprehensive; he said he wanted to learn potions so that he could make Tom proud. When Riddle asked him why he was reluctant to have Severus tutor him, the boy quietly and hesitantly told Tom of the treatment he had received at the hands of the Potions Master in class. Tom promised to speak with the professor before setting up the sessions. Smiling, Harrison nodded eagerly, glad that there was going to be someone in his corner from now on. Once everything was obtained, they returned home, where Harrison put away his supplies in his new trunk.

The boy was very excited about his new trunk. His birthday had passed a few days earlier, and Tom had wanted to get the child something while they were shopping. Harrison had gravitated to the luggage shop, where he'd found a four compartment trunk with expandable bookshelves in which to store his special tomes. The front had four gemstones embedded in it: an emerald, a sapphire, a diamond, and a black opal. Each gemstone controlled access to a compartment, and Harrison created a unique password for each compartment. With the black opal, which opened up to his library, he used a parseltongue password, so no one else but Tom could get into it. Smiling widely as he caressed the fine leather of the trunk, he opened the first compartment, where he put all of his personal things, like his invisibility cloak and the photo album Hagrid had given him. In the third compartment, he put all of his school texts in, as well as his potions equipment. The second compartment held his uniforms and clothes and he filled the fourth compartment, with the parseltongue password, with all of the Dark Arts texts. Tom had also gotten him three different sets of Dark magic encyclopedias, and he was anxious to start on them. They, too, went into his library. Finished for the time being, he closed the trunk and went back down to Tom's study. The elder man had wanted to talk to him about something.

"Ah, there you are, Harrison. I would like to do a heritage test on you, to figure out why Light magic seems to make you ill. I would like to know if you'd like to help me with the potion." Grinning widely, the raven nodded vigorously, nearly dancing in place in his excitement. The boy's antics made Riddle chuckle affectionately. "Very well, let us retire to the potions lab." He walked up to the child and ruffled his hair tenderly before preceding him out the door. Harrison dashed to catch up, impulsively clasping the Dark Lord's hand. Tom looked down at the boy, startled, then smiled at the happiness in the preteen's face. They made it to the potions lab in good time, and Tom pulled down a pewter cauldron, setting it up on a low fire with water in the bottom. "Harrison, could you please fetch me the acromantula venom, an ashwinder egg, the belladonna, some dragon blood, some flobberworm mucus, and the octopus powder?" The child went to the potions ingredient stores and carefully selected out the best of the components, gently placing them on the cutting board beside Riddle. "Thank you, Harrison." He picked up a pure silver knife, handing it to the boy. "I need you to carefully slice the ashwinder egg into thin strips, and grind the belladonna into a coarse powder, please." Using the very sharp silver knife carefully, Harrison sliced the egg into very thin strips, earning a fond smile from Riddle before the child dropped the belladonna into a mortar. Using the pestle, he ground the root until it resembled small grains of coarse sand.

"Very good, Harrison. I believe Severus will be very pleased to tutor you in potions."

"Thank you, Tom," the child answered, embarrassed and pleased at the praise. Tom poured the venom into the low boiling water, stirring with an ebony wood rod for six turns clockwise before reversing to do two turns counterclockwise. The liquid turned a stormy grey, then the ashwinder egg went in, quickly followed by the mucus and the octopus powder. Tom then stirred twenty times clockwise, watching as the potion turned a violent purple. The ground belladonna went in, then the dragon blood. The potion was left to sit for precisely forty-five seconds before being stirred three times counterclockwise.

"We need to let the potion simmer for exactly five minutes, then I need to put three drops of your blood into it," Tom told the fascinated child. Harrison nodded mutely, eyes wide on the potion. When the five minutes had elapsed, Tom gently took Harrison's hand and carefully scored the palm with another silver knife, allowing the drops to fall into the potion. He healed the boy's palm, then stirred twelve times clockwise, the number matching the age of the person participating in the potion. "Now it has to sit and steep for twenty four hours. This time tomorrow, we will find out what your familial history is, and go from there."

* * *

"Are you ready to find out your ancestry?" Tom asked softly, smiling at the twelve year old boy. Harrison nodded eagerly, grabbing Tom's extended hand and walking beside him. They entered the potions lab and went straight to the cauldron, Riddle drawing some of the potion into a pipette and dripping it slowly on a specially spelled piece of parchment. Holding their breaths, both man and child watched as words slowly appeared on the parchment. A grunt of surprise escaped the older man as his eyes widened on the parchment. "No wonder you're allergic to Light magic; one of your original ancestors is Morgan LeFay. Your lineage connects to Salazar Slytherin, as well. We are, in fact, very distantly related. However, I still wish to adopt you and make you my son in blood and magic, so we will take the rest of today and tomorrow to prepare for the ritual, which will be performed on Saturday." Turning, Tom pulled down some vials, handing two to the child and keeping two for himself. "We must use the green potion in our bathwater to purify our skin, and the yellow potion must be swallowed to purify us internally. I must warn you, Harrison, that the yellow potion will most likely cause you pain as it burns away all of the impurities in your body. These must be used two hours before the ritual, so my suggestion is that you use both at the same time. Tonight, we must meditate, to get our minds cleared of all outside influences. When we approach the ritual Saturday, we must be pure of thought and ready to accept the adoption." Tom paused here, giving Harrison a weighted look. "You must be _absolutely sure_ that you want this, or the ritual could have drastic and painful consequences. Go now, and spend the rest of today and all day tomorrow meditating on this."

* * *

Saturday dawned warm and sunny, and Harrison was out of bed in a flash. They were to do the ritual at ten, leaving the boy three hours to prepare for it. At eight, he filled his tub with warm water, pouring the potion in and settling into the tub with a quiet sigh. No matter how many times he'd had a bath over the last few days, he always relished the comfort and relaxation it provided. _Sure beats bathing with the hosepipe_ , he thought as he popped the cork on the yellow potion. He swallowed it with a grimace, shuddering violently at the abhorrent taste and texture as it slid down his throat. He leaned back in the tub and waited for the pain to begin.

The burning started in his stomach, spreading quickly through his body and into his blood. He grit his teeth against a scream as it felt like every cell was on fire. Even his _hair_ hurt. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on deep breathing, trying to meditate his way through the pain. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, and he couldn't prevent the soft whimpers from escaping his throat. A pop alerted him to the arrival of his favorite elf, just as the pain faded away. Heaving a heavy sigh, he slowly pushed himself out of the tub, taking the thick, fluffy towel that the elf had ready for him and wrapping it around his waist. He staggered into his bedroom, his muscles aching, and sat on the bed. Sandie quickly gathered the ritual robes he was to wear, helping him into them and tugging them straight. "Thank you, Sandie," Harrison husked out, voice raspy from holding in his screams.

* * *

"I give to you freely my blood and magic, so that you may be my son in blood and magic." Tom handed the silver rune-inscribed bowl to Harrison, who grimaced for a second before tipping the rim to his lips and swallowing. He struggled to swallow every drop of the magic-infused blood, wanting this so very badly and not wanting the ritual to fail. Once finished, Tom took the bowl back from him, watching the child carefully to ensure that nothing untoward would happen. At first, it seemed like the ritual wouldn't take hold, but then Harrison clutched his stomach, gasping loudly as the Potter/Evans blood was burned away, replaced by Riddle/Slytherin blood instead. The matching runes on Harry's skin, written in Riddle's blood, began to glow as the magic continued to change the child. His magical core expanded to accept the greater power of the Riddle/Slytherin line, and Harrison could feel the magic crackling under his skin. As the runes on Harrison's body dimmed, they sank into his skin, sealing the magic of the ritual into permanence. There were no marked changes to the child's features; he looked remarkably like Tom Riddle as a child, anyway. The only obvious difference was the crimson flecks in his emerald eyes. He also gained a bit of height and weight, and his muscle mass increased slightly, as well. All in all, he looked the spitting image of Tom Riddle as a boy. Smiling widely, Tom impulsively knelt and pulled Harrison into a strong, safe, warm hug. The preteen wrapped his arms around Riddle's neck, squeezing back for all he was worth. "You're beautiful," Tom husked, "and you're _mine_."

* * *

Harrison stared at his reflection with awe-filled eyes. His fingers touched his face restlessly, sure he was dreaming. "I feel so _different_ ," he murmured, looking at the crimson flecks in his eyes. "I don't _look_ much different, but I _feel_ different. I wonder why my appearance didn't change much? I know the ritual was a powerful one." Unbeknownst to him, Tom was standing outside his bedroom door, listening to his contemplative murmurings.

"You don't look much different because you already looked remarkably like me when I was your age," he said, startling the boy badly. Harrison jumped and turned, staring wide-eyed at the man in the doorway. A brief, overpowering look of fear flashed through the child's eyes before he heaved out a breath of relief. Tom strode forward, kneeling and taking Harrison's shoulders in his strong, warm hands and looking at him with worry. "Are you all right, Harrison? You're not suffering from any ill effects of the ritual, are you?"

"I'm fine, T-Father," the preteen shyly answered. Riddle's ruby eyes widened in pleasure at the address, a small smile on his face. "You just scared me a little. My cou-Dudley used to sneak up on me when I was in the bathroom and punch me in the ribs or the kidneys. He always liked to scare the crap out of me before hitting me. It was just a bit of a flashback."

"Just say the word, Harrison, and those muggles will be nothing but damp, sticky patches on their carpets," the Dark Lord growled menacingly. Every time he heard something new about his son's treatment by the muggles, he wanted to punish them more severely than he already had. The child smiled at the man, insanely happy that there was someone finally on his side, ready to take on the world, _just for him_.

"Maybe later, Father," Harrison answered. "I just want to spend the rest of my break with you, getting to know you and learn how I may make you proud of me."

Red eyes softened considerably at the words, a pleased smirk in place on the older man's face. "You _already_ make me proud, son. As for getting to know me, I concur. We need to spend quality time together learning each other, so I think we should go on holiday for the remaining three weeks before school starts. What do you think?"

"I think that would be _brilliant_ ," the child gasped happily. He impulsively threw his arms around his father's neck, hugging the man as joyful tears fell from his eyes. Riddle hugged him back, smiling warmly before he kissed the unruly mop of hair and stood.

"Do you have any ideas on where you would like to go?"

"I…um…I've read about the r-rainforests in the A-Amazon. I'd like t-to explore them."

"That's a wonderful idea, Harrison," Tom agreed. "It could be an educational holiday, as well. I think it would be a grand opportunity for you to be tutored by Severus, and it would provide _him_ with the opportunity to gather some very rare potions ingredients." Harrison's face fell, as he had thought it would be a fun vacation with just the _two_ of them. Tom saw the expression on his son's face, and knew the direction of the boy's thoughts. "I know you were counting on us being alone, and we _will_ be. You and I will do fun things together. You must understand, though, that your potions education is somewhat lacking, due to the animosity Severus had shown you. I've decided to use this opportunity to get him to understand you better, but also to provide you with protection and counseling while at school. I cannot leave you without any support as long as the headmaster remains there."

"I know, Father," the twelve year old said, eyes on the floor. "I understand. It's just…well…I was hoping _we_ could do the exploring."

"We will," Tom replied softly, crouching down once again in front of his son. "You're not spending _all_ of your time with Severus. The tutoring sessions will be done in the evening, after you and I have had our fun together. Perhaps, occasionally, Severus would like to join us, but I do not expect that he'll wish to spend a great deal of time tagging along. He'll have his own explorations to do. And maybe, sometimes, you would go along with him, to learn and to get to know him."

"Okay," Harrison said after a few moments of thought. "I'll try and get along with professor Snape."

"That's all I ask."

* * *

They were in Tom's office, finalizing their trip plans, when an eagle owl soared in through an open window. Before Harrison, Riddle had kept the castle tightly shut, but once his son had settled in, the boy insisted on open windows everywhere, to let in the fresh air. The owl landed on Tom's desk, holding out a leg with an official-looking scroll attached to it. The Dark Lord carefully removed the missive, and the owl launched itself into the air, landing on the top of a bookcase and tucking its head under a wing. Frowning, Tom broke the seal on the scroll and spread it open on the top of his desk. Together, both Riddle men scanned the letter, eyebrows disappearing into hairlines in surprise.

 _Greetings, Master Tom Marvolo Riddle;_

 _We at Gringotts wish to congratulate you on your successful adoption of one Harry James Potter into the Slytherin/Riddle bloodline. Enclosed, please find a copy of the will of James and Lily Potter, as well as the keys to your son's inheritances. We must finalize the official paperwork, so at your earliest convenience, please come in and speak with Ragnok._

 _May your gold always grow._

 _Griphook, accounts goblin_

"I have an inheritance?" Harrison asked curiously.

"You do," his father replied absently as he broke the seal of the will and began to read. Ruby eyes widened in shock as he read the contents of his son's inheritance, before he turned to the child with a small grin. "It seems you are a very wealthy wizard. Or, at least, you _will_ be. Your father's family had invested in a great number of businesses and ventures, and the capital from those investments just keeps rolling in. As well, they have several manors and vacation homes scattered all over the world. It would be interesting to visit these places, since we will now have suitable lodgings."

"But, since you're my father, shouldn't all of this wealth be yours?"

Tom smiled softly at his son. "No, Harrison. It belongs to you. It is your legacy from your birth parents, and should be treasured. I am sure that there are vaults that contain mementos, artifacts, and keepsakes from your parents' marriage and life together that you would like to have. Since we need to go to Gringotts to get out funds for our trip anyway, we can make a day of it and get everything sorted out at the same time."

"Thank you, Father," the child replied. "I…I know this is really fast but…but…I…I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

Severus was in the middle of a delicate potion when his Mark burnt, causing him to hiss, eyes wide in panic. He cast a hasty stasis charm on the potion and quickly left Spinner's End, apparating directly to the foyer inside the Dark Lord's hideout. He cursed under his breath, having neglected to fetch his Death Eater garb, before striding quickly toward the study, where the Mark seemed to be leading him. He knocked quietly, and at the summons, entered, flowing instantly down to one knee, head bowed. "My Lord," he murmured reverently. Though he was technically in the headmaster's employ, and therefore 'his', Severus was completely loyal to the Dark. It was with bitter self recriminations that he mourned the passing of his Lord, and was very surprised to receive a summons, considering the way things had been left before the fall of the Dark.

"Rise, Severus," Riddle intoned solemnly, watching with satisfaction as his Potions Master stood proudly before him. "I have summoned you here because we have a few things to discuss, and I have someone I wish to introduce to you." Tom turned toward the chair situated beside his own, and it was with shock that Snape realized that a young child was sitting next to the Dark Lord. Squinting his eyes, they widened in stunned surprise as he spied the signature scar on the boy's forehead. Tom smirked at the shock on his friend's face and indicated a chair before his desk. "Please have a seat, Severus. This will, undoubtedly, be a long conversation." Nodding, Snape moved to the chair, falling gracelessly into it, still stunned at the situation. "This," Riddle said, indicating the child beside him, "is my son, Harrison Salazar Riddle."

"Your…your _son_?" the dour man choked out, mouth hanging open.

"Yes, Severus. My son. You see, at the end of his first year, when he was made to go into that chamber beneath the castle and fetch the Philosopher's stone, he and I came to an accord. As you well know, I had created safeguards to prevent my demise. Apparently, I had made my son one, and when I discovered this, I agreed to come to his rescue."

"But…but why would he need rescued?" Severus asked bitterly, glaring hatefully at the child. "After all, he's just as spoiled and pampered as his worthless father."

" _Crucio,"_ Tom hissed, watching as Severus bit his tongue to keep from screaming. He was able to remain in the chair, but his body had stiffened, twitching with the painful curse. Riddle released the man, and Severus collapsed into the seat, panting heavily, a thin rivulet of blood running down his chin. "Do not _ever_ take that tone with me again, and never _dare_ to speak so dismissively or derisively about my son again," the Dark Lord snarled. "For your information, the child has been abused, starved, and neglected ever since that old man placed him with those disgusting muggles. Did you never wonder _why_ he's so much smaller than the rest of the first years? Or why he looks like a concentration camp survivor? Use those vaunted _observational skills_ , and truly see the boy for who he _really_ is, and not through the eyes of a bitter, vengeful, hateful man."

The dark man cast an _episkey_ at his mouth, healing his tongue before he was able to speak. "My apologies, my Lord," Severus rasped, still twitching from the curse. The Potions Master looked over at the Dark Lord's son, his eyes widening at the despair and pain he saw in Harrison's gaze. The boy flinched away from those dark eyes, as if he expected some sort of _punishment_ for a perceived crime. _Perhaps he feels responsible for my pain_ , Severus thought perplexedly. Straightening in his chair, he looked back at Voldemort, stoic Slytherin mask back in place. "What do you require of me, my Lord?"

"Harrison and I would like to take a holiday away from Great Britain for the final three weeks before school begins. We wish to know if you would like to accompany us. Harrison has expressed a desire to become more accomplished in potions, and I thought we could use the vacation as an opportunity for you to tutor my son." Severus grimaced before he could stop himself, gaining a red-eyed glare from his Lord.

"His… _performance_ in potions was…unimpressive last year," the Potions Master began delicately. "I doubt tutoring on my part will improve that to any great degree."

"Perhaps," Tom began coldly, "the problem was not _Harrison_ , but his _teacher_. Perhaps, had his _teacher_ approached him as a regular _student_ , instead of singling him out based on an old, useless, worthless, petty _grudge_ , he would have learned more adequately. Perhaps," here Riddle glared angrily at Severus, making the dour man quake in his chair, "you should _try again_ to teach _my son_ potions, and leave his former parentage _out of it_. He is no longer a Potter, Severus. He is fully and completely a Riddle and a Slytherin."

"Where are we to sojourn for the remainder of the holiday, my Lord?" the Potions Master asked, resigning himself to tutoring the Potter spawn. As if reading his thoughts, Tom's eyes narrowed dangerously, the glare intensifying and making the Hogwarts Slytherin Head of House squirm obviously in his chair.

"We are going to the Amazon," the Dark Lord ground out through gritted teeth. "It was Harrison's choice. He'd expressed the desire to explore the jungles and cultivate the rare potions ingredients located there. As well, we intend to take in the local history and culture. Have no fear, Severus. My son will not be exposed to your childishness nor churlishness more than I can help."

"Very well," the chastened man answered, flushing darkly at the obvious censure. "I will do my best to instruct your heir adequately, without interference from my feelings for his former parentage."

* * *

"Wow," Harrison sighed as he took in his very first sight of the Amazon rainforest. The lush vegetation glimmered with the mist that was a nearly permanent part of the atmosphere, and the scent of the flora and the earth wafted to the child's sensitive nose. He inhaled deeply of the fragrances of the jungle, a wide smile on his face and excitement in his eyes. Tom smiled indulgently at his son, excited on behalf of the preteen, and inordinately pleased that _he_ would be the one to show the boy all the wonders of the magical and muggle world. Severus, for his part, was barely containing his own excitement, knowing that, in a few short moments, he would be able to cultivate some of the rarest and most sought after potions ingredients on earth. Most potioneers never considered muggle areas to be worth the effort to explore, but Snape knew differently. He'd known, just from his own extensive research, that many of the forests and jungles in the 'muggle' areas of the world were, in fact, hiding wizarding colonies and societies, and that they protected their secrets zealously. That his Lord was able to gain invaluable access to these remote areas spoke to the undeniable power the Dark Lord truly wielded.

"Wow, indeed," Tom replied fondly. Harrison looked up at the man with unguarded adoration, and Riddle paused for a moment to savor the unconditional love gleaming from those remarkable crimson-specked emerald eyes. Love for _him_. Something the Dark Lord had never expected to see aimed his way. Harrison _had_ expressed his love for Tom before they left, but it was quite another thing to actually _see_ that love shining at him from those brilliant verdant eyes. Of a certainty, some of his minions held an undeniable _reverence_ for him, but it was a worship born of what Riddle could accomplish in the world; the changes he would be able to make to benefit them. As well, a not inconsiderable part of it was the immense well of power the Dark Lord possessed; a power used to intimidate and cow people to his way of thinking. It wasn't _love_ ; not in the truest sense of the word. That Tom was able to begin feeling the small, blossoming seeds of love for his son was the most remarkable thing of all, considering his roots and his choices prior to meeting the child in that hidden chamber beneath the school. He'd never thought he'd be able to feel _anything_ , let alone _love_. But there was something about this child, about their relationship, that had fundamentally _changed_ him in ways completely unexpected, but not unwelcome. _Perhaps this new life will help me to create a world that we all may share in, that will be protected as it has never been before. Perhaps Harrison is truly the key to the success of our world.  
_

* * *

"Your potion is…more than adequate, Po-Riddle. You've done very well," Severus grudgingly admitted. He was stunned at the unadulterated joy in the smile aimed his way, and his preconceived notions and reservations finally started peeling away in the wake of the child's unbridled enthusiasm. Severus had been tutoring the boy for the last few days, and was quietly impressed by the dedication and focus he'd shown every potion Snape had set him to do.

"Thank you, sir," the preteen said softly, blushing. "If it's no trouble, could you please call me Harrison? I detest the indifference the use of my surname seems to breed between us."

"I can do that, Ri-Harrison. You may call me Severus when we are not in school." The wide, beaming smile did much to soothe the remaining enmity, and Snape was finally able to let go of the grudge he'd held for a great many years. _This child is truly remarkable,_ he thought as he watched Harrison carefully clean his work station. _I see more and more of my precious Lily in him every day. Perhaps it will not be such a hardship to treat him with the same respect I have for my godson._ "If you do not mind my asking, will you continue to reside in Gryffindor?"

"I don't think so, sir," the child answered quietly. "Father is going to have me reassigned to Slytherin this year."

"Interesting. Will you be able to get along with my snakes?"

"I don't see why not," Harrison answered diffidently. "I intend to make my apologies to Draco right off. I was very wrong to refuse his hand in first year, and I regret allowing myself to be taken in by the Weasleys and Granger. I would, however, like to maintain my friendship with Neville Longbottom."

"If it's not too personal, why are you not encouraging your friendships with Weasley and the know-it-all?"

"Ron Weasley and his family are too loud," Harrison stated bluntly. "I abhor loud, brash people, and Weasley is just that. Factor in that his brothers like to prank everyone, which is another thing I hate, and I just don't feel comfortable or safe around them. I have no fondness for bullies, and that's what they are. As for Granger, you've hit the nail on the head, sir. She is so set on proving how very brilliant she is that any disagreement with her is met with cold silence and disdain. Absolutely _no one_ is allowed to be smarter than her, and she had done quite a bit to try and hold me back in classes. I can't accept that, especially since Father adopted me. I intend to make him proud of me, and I can't do that if someone is deliberately holding me back."

"Very well reasoned arguments against them, Harrison," Severus said with a note of approval. "I knew your mother when we were children, and I know how very intelligent she was. I could not fathom how her son could be so… _different_. Now I understand. Be assured that I will no longer allow anyone to hold you back."

"Thank you sir."

"As well, I've noticed a marked difference to your speech patterns from last year. I must say, you speak as if you've been raised as a pureblood your whole life."

"Thank you, Severus," Harrison replied, blushing again. "When we went shopping for my school texts, Father allowed me to pick out some other additional texts. I saw some books on wizarding customs and traditions, and within them were chapters on how one is to comport oneself as heir to a pureblood dynasty. Father wishes to pass his legacy on to me when the time is right, and I wish to show that I know how to behave as a pureblood should. That includes speech patterns and diction. Father has helped me with my lessons on behavior and manners. I want him to be proud of me."

Severus could _hear_ the desperation in the child's voice, and that, more than anything, truly spoke to the overwhelming loneliness and mistreatment the child had suffered. "I understand, Harrison, better than you can know," he murmured to the child, laying a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder in comfort.

* * *

They wandered through the densest portion of the jungle, Harrison using the machete to remove the vegetation that continually tried to hamper their progress. The wizards didn't want to use their wands to clear the foliage; they were afraid that the magic would somehow _damage_ the plant life. Tom and Severus were behind the child, and every now and then the preteen would dart forward or to the side and kneel down to examine something that would catch his eye. Invariably, he would carefully pick up or dig up whatever he'd spotted and carry it back to Severus, who would exclaim delightedly at the child's discovery. Both man and child forgot the third in their party as they would discuss the merits of the discovery, be it plant, insect parts, or small animal carcass. Harrison had a natural rapport with all living things, and he was able to coax and cajole a great many of the small animals that they would run across into giving up hairs, sheddings, fluids, and all manner of bits and pieces for their potions work. Tom, for his part, couldn't keep the broad smile from his face as he watched his son do something relatively unheard of in the wizarding world. _It seems that, between his ancestry and the blood adoption ritual, we've awakened untapped power and potential in him. I am exceedingly glad that I took him up on his bargain. He makes me so very proud.  
_

* * *

"I don't want to go back," Harrison moaned quietly as he packed. A snort from the bedroom doorway startled him, and he turned to see the Potions Master standing in the entryway with a small smile on his face.

"I concur completely, Harrison," he said solemnly as he entered the bedroom, taking a seat in the desk chair. "I, too, wish to remain and explore some more. However, your education awaits. I am sure that we can come back again on another holiday, and there are other places to explore besides the Amazon."

"I know. It's just that…well…I'm going to be away from Father for _ten whole months_. I'm going to miss him horribly."

"I will miss you as well, my son," Tom said as he entered the bedroom. He came and sat on the bed as Harrison desultorily continued to pack, a monumental pout on his face. "Severus and I will set up the floo in his personal rooms, so that you may come home when you need to. Perhaps on the weekends. This way we will still be able to spend time together."

"Really?" The raven turned to Severus, anxious and excited.

"Of course, Harrison," the Potions Master said indulgently. "I have the same arrangement with Lucius Malfoy, so that Draco may go home on the weekends."

"Um, I have a question," the teen started hesitantly. At the encouraging nods, he continued. "How are we going to explain things to Mr. Malfoy? I know that he hates me, and I don't want that to interfere with any friendship I may be able to cultivate with Draco."

"Lucius does not hate you, per se," Severus answered softly. "He sees you as the enemy to our Lord. You did, after all, 'vanquish' him as a mere babe. Lucius is a little fearful of you."

"He does know that I had nothing to do with that, right?" Harrison said incredulously. "I am not very powerful, and I was a _baby_ , for Merlin's sake. It was something my _mum_ did that protected me."

Severus snorted loudly in amusement. "I concur. You didn't 'vanquish' the Dark Lord. Your mother was a very powerful witch, and she was phenomenal with charms, especially protective ones. As well, she was not shy when it came to learning new things, even if they were classified as 'dark'. I'm sure she found a Dark ritual that provided you with adequate protection, and as a consequence disrupted the Dark Lord's continued corporeal life for a bit."

"As for you not being very powerful, that's just rubbish," his father took up the conversation. "You do realize that it isn't normal for witches and wizards to be able to commune with all manner of living things, don't you? What you did out there in the jungle was nothing short of astonishing. Severus now has potions ingredients from the rarest species of plant and animal, and it's all due to you. I am proud to call you my son."

* * *

"Are you ready for school tomorrow?" Tom asked Harrison as he came into the boy's bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Emerald eyes met ruby, and Riddle could see the uncertainty lurking in their depths. "It will be fine," his father said as he stroked his fingers tenderly through his son's hair. Harrison's eyes drifted closed in pleasure; he would _never_ get tired of this. A fond chuckle had him opening his eyes slowly to see the love glowing from crimson eyes. The child flushed and looked down at the comforter, fingers worrying a line of stitching in nervousness. "I do love you, Harrison," his father whispered as he leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his son's forehead.

"I love you too, Father," Harrison whispered shyly, smiling blindingly at his dad. "Did you get Severus' floo set up?"

"I did. You'll be able to floo home every weekend, starting Friday after your last class. Severus is now your guardian ad litem at the school, and you will be in Slytherin. There will be no need for a re-sorting; I spoke to Lucius, since he's the Head of the School Board of Governors. I explained everything that had happened over the summer, and he seemed…understanding. I do not know how he will explain things to Draco, but I am sure that the young Malfoy will make every effort to befriend you, especially when Severus speaks to him after the Opening Feast."

"How will we explain my absence from meals?"

"Severus will tell the old fool that you are being 'tutored' in Remedial Potions over the weekend, so that your marks will not 'embarrass his house'. Rest assured, Severus will do everything in his power to protect and guide you, and not just because I expect it. He's grown rather _fond_ of you, and sees being your guardian at the school as an honor. He is young Draco's godfather, after all, so it isn't much of a stretch to treat you with the same regard he treats his godson."

"Thank you, Father," the boy whispered, love heavy in his voice, " for everything."

"You are very welcome, my son," his dad replied, again stroking fingers through the boy's hair. "Thank _you_. You've made me happier than I ever thought I could be. I am so very proud of you. I will never grow tired of telling you that."

"I will never grow tired of _hearing_ that," he chirped with a grin. "I…I'm proud to be your son. You've given me more than I could ever hope for, or dream of. The day you came to rescue me was the best day of my life, and it keeps getting better and better every day I'm with you."

"Thank you," the Dark Lord husked out, voice thick with emotion.


	4. Chapter 4

**Four**

Harrison sat alone in the compartment on the train. He watched out the window as the students and parents darted to and fro, frantically trying to find their friends or avoid their enemies. His eyes were continuously drawn to the tall figure standing near the entrance to the platform. His father. His reason to live now. He could see his dad's ruby eyes gleaming through the glamour that covered his features, possible only because of the Heir ring he wore on the index finger of his left hand. His father had given him the ring before they left.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _This is the Heir ring for the House of Slytherin," Tom said as he slid it onto his son's left index finger. It automatically resized to fit, and the child blushed with pleasure as he felt his father's familiar magic surround him. "It is spelled to protect you from most hexes and curses, and is an emergency portkey should you find yourself in dire straits. Simply turn the ring on your finger and whisper 'home' and you will be brought straight to the castle. As well, no matter what disguise I wear, or if I am disillusioned, you will still be able to see_ _ **me**_ _. I want you as safe and protected as possible while you are away." The child launched himself at his father, wrapping his arms around the man's waist and squeezing tightly. Tom knelt and wrapped his arms around his son in a bear hug. "Sandie is already in place at the school, and Lucius has sent Dobby ahead for Draco," he murmured into his son's ear. "Severus is there to help you; do not hesitate to go to him if you have need." Tom stood with his son still in his arms and disapparated with a quiet crack. They landed in some darkened shadows on the platform to the train, and Tom knelt again, still holding his son. "It's all right, Harrison. I will never be more than a floo trip away from you." He gently pushed the boy toward the train, casting a glamour over his features as he stood. Harrison turned and smiled at the man, seeing his father's true face through the magical disguise. One ruby eye closed in a wink as the man smirked at him and waved._

 _ **End Flashback**_

The raven smiled softly as he thought of the remarkable turn his life had taken this past summer. Though this was the man who had killed his parents, he couldn't find it in himself to care. Tom had been exceedingly kind and loving to him, and, since he'd had no real basis for comparison, he felt like he and the Dark Lord were truly father and son. He couldn't be happier; having such a powerful man in his corner, _on his side_ , made him feel loved and wanted in a way he'd never felt before. He loved his father, truly and deeply, and would do everything in his power not to disappoint the man who had given him a life to be proud of. His ruminations were interrupted when the compartment door slid open. Harrison turned toward the disturbance, eyes widening at the sight that met them.

Draco Malfoy stood framed in the doorway, looking nervous and unsure. Harrison was startled to see the Malfoy heir so tentative, and he quickly smiled and beckoned the blond into his compartment. Nodding quickly, Draco stepped in, sliding the door closed and casting a locking charm at it so that they would be afforded some privacy. He sat on the bench opposite Harrison, and both boys looked at each other contemplatively before Harrison finally spoke. "What made you come in here?"

"I…saw you through the window, and I wanted to speak with you," the blond answered, blushing. A quick twitch of Harrison's head had the Malfoy heir quickly pulling the shades on the windows, to ensure complete privacy.

"Excellent. I wanted to talk to you, as well. I wish to apologize to you, Malfoy. I was very new to the wizarding world last year, and wasn't sure who I could really trust. You were…too much like my cousin when we met in Madam Malkin's, and Weasley welcomed me without being condescending or belittling, which made me feel accepted." Draco flushed with shame, remembering that encounter, and the way he had acted on the train afterward. "It's forgiven, and I understand that it was the way you were raised. It wasn't until I'd gotten sorted into Gryffindor, and had seen how he really was, that I realized I'd made a mistake in refusing your friendship. I'd like to repair that mistake now, if I may." He stuck out his hand, eyebrow slightly quirked, and waited to see if the blond would accept his apology. It was a few tense seconds before a pale hand reached out and grasped his. They shook like pureblood men before breaking out into childlike grins of happiness.

"I accept your apology, Potter," Draco began, only to be halted by a raised hand.

"Your father didn't tell you?" Harrison questioned a little incredulously. At the negative shake of Draco's head, Harrison snorted softly. "I was rescued from my muggle relatives this past summer. The man you know as the Dark Lord accepted my plea of parley, and came to my summer lodgings to retrieve me. During the break from school, he adopted me by blood and magic, and my name is now Harrison Salazar Riddle."

"You…you're the Dark Lord's _son_?" the blond squeaked.

"I am," the raven answered with a snicker.

"Merlin," Draco breathed softly, looking at Harrison wonderingly. "Then I accept your apology, Riddle. What's it like? Is he strict? I'd heard stories from my father about his…temper. Does he hurt you?" There was a slight edge of worry in that last question, pleasing the raven, as it spoke of potential for a long-lasting friendship.

"First, please call me Harrison. The use of surnames puts a distance between us that I dislike intensely. As for my father, he's no more strict than your average parent. He never has, nor will he ever, hurt me. He treats me with a level of loving care that I'd never received before. He's my dad, and I love him."

"Okay," the blond replied, sounding relieved. "You may call me Draco. Um, why aren't you friends with Weasel and the mudblood anymore?" After the question left his lips, the blond flinched slightly, realizing that he may have insulted the other boy. Harrison just smiled kindly at Draco, letting him know it was all right.

"Weasley and his family are loud, brash, boorish people. They have no concept of privacy, nor do they have what I call 'inside voices'. Every conversation seems to take place at the decibel level of a shout, which is rather embarrassing. They have no concept of personal space, either. Always touching or grabbing me. It was infuriating. Added to that, the Weasley boys are all bullies after a fashion. The so-called 'pranks' are rather vicious, and I can't stand bullies. As for Granger, let's just say that her desperate need to be acknowledged as the most brilliant person ever, at the cost of friends, makes her singularly unappealing. Her efforts to hold me back just made me dislike her even more."

"Ah, so that explains why you had so much trouble in Potions," Draco said, nodding sagely. Harrison smirked at the blond, an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"That may have been _part_ of it, but you must admit, your godfather didn't make my learning experiences in his class any easier. Nor did your House's attempts to sabotage my potions." An embarrassed flush colored the porcelain skin, and Draco grinned sheepishly. "However, as I will be in Slytherin from now on, that second part is moot. As well, over the summer, your godfather tutored me in potions, at the behest of my father, and I've come away from the lessons with a much better understanding of the craft, and of Severus Snape. He has been made my guardian ad litem while I am in school, and we've developed a more respectful regard for each other. He no longer sees me as my birth father, which is a relief, I must say. So his classes will go much more smoothly for me from now on."

"That's good to hear. How do you think the headmaster is going to take you being in another House? Merlin, he's probably going to throw a wobbly when he finds out who has adopted you."

"I couldn't care less what that man thinks, or what he wants," Harrison said with a smirk. "The adoption is unbreakable, and has been registered with both Gringotts _and_ the Ministry. There's not a bloody thing he can do about _any_ of it."

"We have two to a dorm room in Slytherin," Draco said into the peaceful silence. "I would be honored if you would consent to be my roommate."

"I accept," Harrison answered softly, a smile on his face. "I'm actually looking forward to getting to know you and your fellow snakes. I have a lot of amends to make to them for my unreasonable behavior. In my defense, I was 'convinced' that all Slytherins were evil, based on the attack on my parents."

"About that," Draco murmured, then hesitated for a moment. At Harrison's nod, he continued. "How can you accept the Dark Lord as your father, when he was the one to kill your parents?"

"I was desperate," Harrison answered simply. "I had been coerced into going into the underground portion of the school to 'save the Philosopher's stone' last year. Father thinks it was a compulsion charm. I didn't want to do it. I didn't want _anything_ to do with whatever schemes the headmaster had in mind. When I saw Father down there, possessing Quirrel, I _had_ to plead my case. My mother's sister and her fat husband abused and starved me. They hated the very air I breathed, and treated me like a house elf from the time I could walk properly. My room, until I got my letter, was the boot cupboard under the front stairs.

"I didn't want to go back there anymore. I would've sold my soul to _Satan_ to be free of them. Father took a look into my mind, and discovered just how badly I'd been treated. He had been treated badly by muggles as a child himself, so he understood how I felt, and agreed to come get me. The rest, you know. It's an especially wonderful feeling to know that there is someone out there in the world who is willing to take on the world, _just for me_. I've never had that before."

* * *

There was a hush as Draco and Harrison entered the Great Hall together. At several points during the trip, someone had tried to invade their compartment. The voices outside the door indicated that it had been Weasley and Granger who attempted to barge in. Draco's locking charms held true, though, preventing the pair from disrupting Harrison's conversations with the blond. They had neglected to put up silencing charms, and assumed that the Gryffindors had found them by listening at the doors to all the compartments. All eyes were now on the pair as they walked to the Slytherin table, where two places were made for them, side by side. Severus Snape had served as one of the chaperones on the train, and he'd explained the situation to his snakes. They accepted the change of circumstances with great aplomb, welcoming Harrison to the fold with quiet grace and dignity. Just as Harrison went to sit down, Weasley charged over to the Slytherin table, glaring. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Harry?" he bellowed, making many in the Hall wince in sympathy for the now-embarrassed Boy Who Lived.

"He's sitting down to dinner, Weasley," Blaise drawled with humor. "Why? Does it look different from where you're standing?"

"Shut up, you slimy snake," Ron barked harshly, face red. He turned back to his best mate, only to see crimson-flecked emerald eyes glaring death at him. He paled and took a step back in momentary fright at the look on the Savior's face.

"I am sitting at my House table, Weasley. Now, if you don't mind, please leave. I would like to enjoy the sorting and my dinner in _peace._ " Weasley turned, stunned, and had taken a few steps when Harrison's words halted him in his tracks. "Oh, by the way. Don't you _ever_ speak so disrespectfully to my House again. They have done nothing to earn your anger, and it shows just how small-minded you and your family truly are." Shoulders hunched and head down, the redhead slowly made his way back to the Gryffindor table, shocked at the distressing turn of events. He sat by Hermione, who had been glaring at the insolent raven the whole time. _It's not right,_ he thought to himself, getting angry. _Harry's supposed to be_ _ **my**_ _friend. The headmaster gave me the responsibility of watching over the Chosen One, to make sure he stays pure. If those snakes get their fangs into him, he'll turn dark. I_ _ **need**_ _to figure out a way to_ _ **fix**_ _this.  
_

* * *

Albus Dumbledore had seen the child as he walked into the Hall, and his heart took a frightened leap at the slight change to his appearance. He no longer resembled James Potter; instead, he looked remarkably like a young Tom Riddle. Albus could see some of Lily in the boy as well; however, with his altered appearance, he knew Severus would be hard-pressed to treat the lad with the same amount of hostility that he had done in the previous year. For the headmaster, it was vitally important that the child be cowed and broken; that he be malleable enough to be made into the perfect weapon against Voldemort. So thinking, he stood from the head table, signaling McGonagall, who had been standing near the doors to the Great Hall, to hold off on the sorting for a few moments, then approached the raven at the Slytherin table. "Mr. Potter? What are you doing sitting at the wrong table?" At that moment, a ministry owl flew into the Hall, landing on the headmaster's shoulder and holding out a leg. Dumbledore detached the letter and the owl launched itself back into the air, wheeling around and flying back out of the Great Hall. The old man cracked the seal on the letter, and let out a startled gasp as it began to speak, informing all in the Great Hall of the change in circumstances.

" _Headmaster Dumbledore,_

" _Please be advised that Harry James Potter has been officially adopted. His new name is Harrison Salazar Riddle. Additionally, at the petition of his father, he has been removed from Gryffindor and placed in Slytherin. As well, Severus Tobias Snape has been named his guardian ad litem while he is within the school. Consider this your only warning; should you step one toe out of line concerning Master Riddle, you will be placed under heavy sanctions, and your titles will be stripped. This is the binding magical agreement between the Ministry and Tom Marvolo Riddle._

" _Have a good day._

" _Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic"_

"What is the meaning of this?" Dumbledore barked harshly, waving the parchment around. "Who did you convince to pull this prank, Mr. Potter? Was it one of the Weasley twins? Very funny. Now return to your House table at once, or I will be forced to take points and assign you detentions."

"My name is Riddle," Harrison said coldly, his face blank as he stared at the old man. "I am a _Slytherin_ , and I am _attempting_ to enjoy being with my Housemates and being back at Hogwarts."

"Now, Harry, this little joke has gone on long enough," Albus tried again. "We've all found it very amusing. If you will please return to your House, we may proceed with the Sorting." Before Harrison could speak again, a wry voice spoke up behind the headmaster, startling him badly.

"Harrison Salazar Riddle _is_ sitting at his House table," Severus told the old man. "Circumstances over the summer had revealed abuse and a lack of ordinary care at Harrison's previous home, so Lord Riddle offered the child a safe place to stay. They came to care a great deal for each other, and Lord Riddle offered the child an opportunity to become his son and heir. Harrison accepted with an open and happy heart. I have the privilege of being the boy's legal guardian while he is at this school. I would advise you, Albus, to cease meddling with Master Riddle's life. The consequences to you would be most dire indeed."

* * *

As soon as Albus made it to his office, he threw a massive hissy fit. Trinkets, toys, and other miscellanea were broken in his fit of rage. Once he calmed down, he went to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder. "Cornelius Fudge's office, Ministry of Magic." He tapped his foot impatiently while he waited for his call to be answered. Finally, the Minister's head poked through the fireplace, glaring heatedly at the headmaster.

"What do you want, Albus? I'm a very busy man."

"What is the meaning of this letter?" the old man barked, waving the crumpled up parchment around.

"Is that the letter addressing Harry Potter's adoption?"

"So it's real?! Do you know what you've done?! You've allowed Lord Voldemort to _steal the Savior_! Now who are we going to get to fight Voldemort?"

"There _is no Dark Lord_ ," Cornelius snapped at the senile old man. "Insisting there is just puts you in a bad light, Albus. He Who Must Not Be Named _died_ in 1981. We've had _peace_ and _prosperity_ all these years. I understand that your popularity has waned since your defeat of Grindelwald, but you must desist in insisting that You Know Who is still alive. He's _gone_. Just be _happy_ about it, for _once_." With that final proclamation, Fudge closed the floo, leaving an enraged wizard to throw a monstrous temper tantrum. The headmaster and headmistress portraits looked on with shock, appalled at the behavior of the venerable headmaster. Into the inferno, Phineas Nigellus Black was heard to say, "Should we get him a binky?"

* * *

Ginny Weasley was ecstatic. She was able to talk the sorting hat into putting her in Slytherin. Though she was a little afraid of the Dark witches and wizards she was now surrounded by, she still thought she did the right thing. After all, her fiancé was in Slytherin, so she should be, too. She followed the first years down into the dungeons, glancing over at Harry Potter every once in a while with stars and hearts in her eyes. He was so _handsome_ , with lovely pale skin, thick dark hair, and beautiful emerald eyes. She had been in love with the Savior since she was small, when her mother began telling her bedtime stories of the great defeat of the Dark Lord, by the man she would someday marry. Her mother made sure that Ginny understood that she was to be the Savior's wife; Albus Dumbledore had promised the family this, and he had the right since he was the boy's magical guardian. They wanted to wait until the boy was in his fourth year before setting up a betrothal contract. That would make Ginny thirteen, the legal age to enter into contracts like that. And she couldn't wait. _You're mine, Harry Potter. No one else will have you. I'll make sure of it._

Ron, on his way up to Gryffindor tower, had his _own_ thoughts about his sister's sorting into Slytherin. _I'll have to owl mum and dad about it. Let them know that she's a snake now. They might be disappointed, but this could be the advantage I'm looking for to get Harry back where he belongs. I'll try and get her alone sometime tomorrow, and discuss it._


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

"Wow," Harrison murmured as he and Draco entered their shared dorm room. It was fairly large, with two double beds, separated by two nightstands. On opposite sides of the beds stood oak desks with chairs, and at the foot of each bed was an armoire, made of the same oak as the desks and the headboards and posts of the four-poster beds. Forest green curtains hung from the frames, allowing for privacy should the boys wish it. There was an en suite bathroom, and the floor was covered with a thick black rug. All in all, a very spacious and comfortable room. "This is amazing. In Gryffindor, it's five to a dorm. I like this much better; no worries about Weasley keeping me awake with his horrific snoring."

"Really?" Draco said with a bubble of laughter. "I don't know how _anyone_ can stand to be in such close quarters with so many other people, let alone a _Weasley_."

"It was a chore," Harrison concurred, also chuckling. "Seamus and Dean were tolerable in small doses, and Weasley was just…urgh. The only one I _could_ get along with was Neville Longbottom. I'm still unsure as to _how_ he got into Gryffindor in the first place. He's too soft-spoken for the loudmouths that are generally in that House, and he's often the victim of the Weasleys' bullying. I wonder…Draco, would you like to help me with a personal project?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I'd like to see if we can get Neville re-sorted."

"Surely you don't think he's suited for _Slytherin_."

"Not at all. I think he's more suited for Ravenclaw, actually. I think it's because his father was a Gryffindor that he asked the hat to place him there. Most likely at the behest of his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. Trying to mold Neville into a replacement for his father, which won't work, simply because Neville lost his father at a very early age, as I did, and the man had absolutely no influence on him in his formative years. Add Augusta's bullying ways, as well as his great uncle Algie, and the poor kid would do _anything_ to try and keep the peace. I think he's suffering in Gryffindor, and I'd like to see him grow into the wizard I know he can be, _outside_ the influence of the lions."

"I can agree with that. You'll need to talk to uncle Sev; see if he has any ideas. If not, you could talk to my father, since he's on the School Board of Governors. I've worked with Longbottom a few times; he's smarter than he seems, when he's not around the other Gryffindors. I think Ravenclaw would be perfect for him. Besides, you'll be able to maintain your friendship with him easier if he's a 'Claw."

"There is that," Harrison mused, smiling. "Thanks, Draco. I owe you one."

* * *

"Severus? May I speak with you for a moment?" Harrison asked as he entered the Potions classroom twenty minutes before the class was to start. Nodding, Snape rose and met the child halfway, both sitting at the student desks. "I would like to get Neville Longbottom re-sorted. How do I go about doing that?"

"His Head of House would have to petition for it, or his parents. Since both Frank and Alice are in the spell-damage ward at St. Mungo's, that would fall to his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. I sincerely doubt she would be willing to have him re-sorted, since she is hell-bent on making Longbottom another Frank. Minerva won't do it, either, simply because she does not care overmuch about what her lions do, nor how they act. She's too far up Dumbledore's arse to be of much use. I do believe, however, that if we petition the School Board of Governors, they can affect a re-sort for him as they did for you."

"Thank you, Severus. That was Draco's idea, as well. The only issue would be convincing Neville to allow the hat to place him where I think he really belongs."

"Where is that, Harrison?"

"I think he belongs in Ravenclaw." At Severus' incredulous look, Harrison smiled and continued. "You've treated him the way his grandmother treats him; the way the other Gryffindors treat him. He's incredibly intelligent and reserved, the way I am. When you bully him in class, it just makes him feel that his grandmother's words are justified, and that he's no better than a squib."

"I…see," Severus replied, shamefaced. "I did not realize that I had been doing such harm to him. Have him come to my office tonight before curfew. You may attend as well, so that he won't feel trapped. I would like to apologize to him, and perhaps help him catch up with his year mates in potions, like I did with you."

"I'd appreciate that, Severus. I'm sure you'll see what I see in him, in time."

* * *

"Welcome, Mr. Longbottom; Harrison. I hope you do not mind, but I've invited Draco to attend, as well."

"I wondered where he'd disappeared to. Hey, Draco. Thanks again for your information."

"Any time, Harrison. Hello Longbottom."

"M-Malfoy." Neville turned nervous eyes to Severus. "What's this about, professor?"

"I wish to apologize to you, Mr. Longbottom. It has been brought to my attention that my treatment of you was unfair, and that I had been bullying you. That was never my intention. It wasn't _you_ as much as it was the House of Gryffindor. I should have never taken my prejudice against Harrison's birth father and his house out on you."

"Th-thank you, professor," Longbottom stammered, eyes wide. "I appreciate that."

"I also know that, because of my lack of professionalism, I had hindered your success in Potions. I would like to make amends for that by tutoring you every night until you feel comfortable and confident enough in yourself to be able to continue the class unaided."

" _Thank_ you, sir," Neville gushed, blushing. "I would love the opportunity to get a better grasp on potions. I love Herbology, but that discipline is rather restrictive, if I can't do anything with the plants I intend to cultivate."

"I am…pleased to hear that, Mr. Longbottom," Severus said slowly, looking with new eyes at the preteen. "In fact, to help you develop your herbology skills, Harrison and I have some plants and cuttings from the jungles of the Amazon. If you would like, I would be willing to share some of them with you, just to see what you can do with them." A beaming smile met this offer, and Snape nodded, seeing Neville in a whole new light. "In future, when we are in private, you may call me Severus. It is a privilege that I grant to very few people, two of which are Harrison and Draco."

"Thank you si-Severus. You may call me Neville, if you wish." Severus' nod of acceptance was all that needed to be said.

* * *

"I am beginning to see what you mean, Harrison," Severus said one Thursday evening several weeks later. Classes were going swimmingly since the raven had transferred to Slytherin. He no longer had to fight against Weasley or Granger to get his homework finished, and there were no loud, boisterous distractions in the snakepit. His friendship with Draco was steadily growing deeper, as was his relationship with Neville. He went home every weekend to spend time with his father, and their bond had grown much deeper as well. Harrison found himself thinking that he wouldn't survive without his father, and Tom had expressed the very same feelings to his son on more than one occasion. Several times, Lucius and Draco would come over to Slytherin's Keep, the name Harrison had given his sanctuary, where the boys spent time together exploring every nook and cranny of the castle while Tom and Lucius touched base on what was occurring in the Ministry. Oftentimes, Severus would join the men, and they would discuss the future of the wizarding world. Talk would invariably center around Harrison, and the change to their Dark Lord. Tom couldn't be happier about the situation, and Severus and Lucius were exceedingly grateful to the small brunet child for reaching out to their Lord and 'rescuing' him, the same way he'd rescued Harrison.

"I'm glad, Severus," Harrison replied, smiling softly at his guardian. Their own relationship had grown stronger in the intervening weeks, and they would spend a good deal of time after classes just talking about everything and nothing. Severus enjoyed his time with Harrison; the child reminded him hauntingly of his dearest friend Lily, and it was no hardship to share cherished, treasured memories of her with the child. For his part, Harrison soaked up the information like an eager little sponge, more than once commenting that he'd wished Severus was his biological father.

To be fair, the Potions Master had shared memories of James Potter with the boy, the good as well as the bad, and Harrison had mixed feelings about the man who fathered him. On one hand, it was his _father_ , and he was sure that James had grown up some before he had died. On the other hand, his father was an unmitigated bastard when he was in school. Spoilt and privileged, and pandered to by the headmaster, he and his Marauder friends were allowed free rein over the school, and were never punished for terrorizing the Slytherins. Harrison had developed a healthy respect for the careful way that Severus had handled the bullying, doing all he could to save face and preserve his friendship with Lily.

"I've spoken to Lucius; he has agreed to push for Longbottom's re-sort into Ravenclaw. I am astonished and very pleased at the progress your friend has made these last few weeks. Of course, it helps that he partners with the Slytherins in class. All of my snakes have taken a liking to Neville, and are more than willing to help him achieve his full potential." Harrison hugged the Potions Master impulsively, squeezing tight in his happiness. He felt arms wrap around him, and the professor hugged him back just as tightly. "I am beginning to understand your father's fondness for these hugs," Severus whispered in the raven's ear, earning him a wide smile.

* * *

The owls swooped in during breakfast early one November morning, dropping parcels, packages, letters and newspapers all over the Great Hall. A great horned owl, an anomaly amidst the common barn owls that usually came to the school, swooped down in front of Neville at the Gryffindor table, holding out its leg. The scroll looked very official, and Longbottom's amber eyes widened slightly. He cast about frantically in his mind, trying to figure out who would be sending him anything. Weasley nudged him in the ribs, startling him out of his distraction. "It's just a letter, Neville," the redhead said, voice trembling with suppressed laughter. "It's not going to _bite_ you. Well, maybe it'll bite _you_ , after all, Gryffindor's Dead Last." Longbottom flushed with embarrassment, his face heating more when everyone at the table laughed at him. Scowling, he took the scroll from the owl and stood, stalking angrily from the Great Hall. Harrison and Draco followed immediately, worried for their friend. The rest of Slytherin stared at the Gryffindor students impassively, making the lions shift nervously in their seats.

"Neville," Harrison murmured as he and Draco caught up with the Longbottom heir. "Are you all right?" The embarrassed flush hadn't died on the Gryffindor's face, and his honey eyes telegraphed deep shame and hurt. Nodding, Harrison guided Neville down into the dungeons and to Severus' private quarters. Speaking the password, the three boys entered the rooms and sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace, the warmth of the fire chasing away the chill from the hallways.

"Thanks, Harrison," Neville whispered, hand still clutching the unopened scroll.

"Any time, Nev. You're my friend, and I saw that you needed some moral support." Nodding jerkily, Longbottom stared at the missive in his hand for a moment longer, before cracking the wax seal and unfurling the parchment. His eyes widened in surprise at the words on the page.

 _Greetings, Heir-Lord Longbottom,_

 _At the request of some of your close friends, we of the School Board of Governors have taken the liberty of re-sorting you. It has been brought to our attentions that you are ill-suited for the Gryffindors; your intellect and introspection are woefully out of place there. We have looked at all of the evidence, and have read the recommendations from, not only your friends, but your professors as well, and have decided to place you in Ravenclaw. As soon as this letter was opened, the house elves moved all of your belongings from the Gryffindor dorms and into a Ravenclaw suite. You will have one roommate, who will introduce himself tonight after dinner. We are more than happy to do this for you; your family has been respected and honored for many generations, and has given us some remarkable wizards and witches. We would like to wish you continued happiness and success, and will offer any assistance, should you have need._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Lucius Malfoy_

 _Head, School Board of Governors_

"I…I'm in _Ravenclaw_ ," the ex-Gryffindor murmured, shocked. "How did _that_ happen?"

"Well," Harrison answered, sharing an amused look with Draco, "I knew you weren't suited for Gryffindor. It's not that you're not brave; Merlin knows, you'd _have_ to have _some_ courage to face the bullies in that House. It's just that, well, I saw you _suffering_ there. No one in that House would ever be able to challenge you intellectually. Not even Granger could. You're _brilliant_ , Nev, and I thought Gryffindor was stunting that brilliance. So, I talked it over with Draco, here, and with Severus. He spoke to professor Flitwick, and professor Sprout. He'd also had a conversation with McGonagall, and sent the memories to the School Board, so that they could see, first hand, what your teachers really thought of you. Severus himself included a glowing report of you, based on the tutoring sessions and the improvements you've made in class.

"Please don't be angry, Nev," Harrison continued when Longbottom remained silent. "I didn't want you to stay where you'd be belittled and humiliated. Where you'd be picked on and harassed. I wanted to see you _blossom_ and _grow_ into the strong, capable wizard I know you are. You're one of my best friends, Nev. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't be friends with you anymore."

"Why wouldn't I be friends with you, Harrison?" Longbottom asked softly, eyes shining with happiness that his _friends_ would go out of their way like this. For _him_.

"We've already heard some of the things Gryffindor is saying about you, Neville," Draco answered. "They're 'concerned' that you're being turned into a 'Dark' wizard by associating with us. I've even heard some of them talking about informing your grandmother about your 'extracurricular activities'. If you hadn't have been re-sorted, Weasley would have encouraged Gryffindor to make it difficult for you. All of this is because of Harrison's re-sort into Slytherin, his friendship with me, and his shunning of Weasel and the beaver."

"Okay. I get that. I'm not mad about the re-sort. In fact, I'm actually quite happy with it. Now I'll get to learn so much more, without Granger hovering over my shoulder to make sure I don't surpass her. The only issue is…well…my magic. It still doesn't respond the way it should. Maybe Gran was right, and I _am_ a squib."

"Nonsense, Longbottom," came a dark voice from the doorway. The three boys jumped, spinning around to see a smirking Potions Master standing in front of the now closed door. "I've been around powerful wizards for a long time. Dumbledore and the Dark Lord both exude an inordinately large amount of magic. Harrison and Draco do, as well. As do you. I suspect…Neville, is that your wand? Did it choose you?"

"Um, no. It was my father's. Gran insisted; said that if I was going to follow in my father's footsteps, I should use his wand as well."

"I see," Severus said. "It's not your magic; it's the wand. It didn't choose you, therefore it will not work for you. I have a friend that knows of a wandmaker who will design and create wands specific to the customer. You will pick out the materials to use and he will craft it. Let me contact this friend, and see if we can arrange for you to see the wandmaker."

"O-okay. Thank you Severus."

* * *

"It's been arranged. We will floo to this friend's house this Saturday, where you will meet with the wandmaker," Severus told Longbottom at their next tutoring session.

"Thank you, sir," the boy replied, blushing. "You'll never know how much I appreciate everything you've done, and everything you continue to do for me."

"It is no trouble. Now, I do believe that this should be our last tutoring session. You've shown remarkable improvement over the last few weeks, and I am proud to say that you will make a fine Potions Master, should you wish to."

"T-thank you, Severus," Neville gushed, beaming. "I would never have been able to get this far if it wasn't for all your help and guidance."

"Stop," the man said in good humor. "You're making me blush."


	6. Chapter 6

**Six**

"Now, before we go to this friend's house, I believe Harrison has something he wishes to tell you." Neville looked at his best friend curiously, a little concerned at the worry in crimson-flecked emerald eyes.

"Um, yeah. So…um, you remember the end of last year? When I went missing for a few hours?"

"Yes," Neville answered cautiously, a little concerned at the suddenly stammering raven, who had, up until now, spoken with great eloquence. "You had gone somewhere with Weasley and Granger, if I remember rightly."

"Yeah. Well, the headmaster had put a compulsion charm on me to force me to 'rescue' the Philosopher's stone. The real purpose was to make me face Voldemort, and get me to try and kill him. I guess it was his way of testing his 'weapon'," the raven snarled darkly.

"Wow. I didn't know that. I'm surprised Weasley and Granger didn't run all over Hogwarts bragging about that."

"They couldn't. Ron was knocked unconscious at the giant chess set, and Hermione took the potion that allowed her to return to him so that they could go get help." At Neville's confused look, Harrison chuckled, embarrassed. "Yeah, I'll put the memories in a pensieve so that you can see first-hand what happened. You, too, Draco, if you want." The blond nodded eagerly, excited to be able to see the adventure for himself. "Anyway, when I got to the chamber that held the Mirror of Erised, I also got the stone. Quirrel demanded the stone; I didn't know that he had Voldemort on the back of his head, under that turban thing, and I refused, so Voldemort told Quirrel to let him talk to me. Long story short, I made a deal with the Dark Lord; if he rescued me from my miserable relatives, I would give him the stone. He promised, and I gave him the stone.

"A few weeks into summer, he came to the house to get me. He used the stone to get himself a body, but he had to fix some things before he could use it. He brought me to his home, which became my home, and took care of me. He adopted me, and gave me a family. He's my dad." Harrison was flinching away, waiting for the explosion of hatred. When it didn't come, he looked at his friend with wide, worried eyes.

"Was it really that bad with your relatives?" was not the question Harrison had expected. He floundered for a moment before he could answer.

"Yes it was. You know how some purebloods treat their house elves?" When both Draco and Neville nodded, the raven continued. "My relatives treated me _worse_ than that." Both boys winced at that, knowing just what kind of _treatment_ their friend had received.

"Oh, Harrison. I'm sorry you had to go through that. If V-Voldemort helped you, and he makes you happy, then that's fine with me." Neville suddenly found himself with arms wrapped tightly around him, and a happy voice whispering in his ear.

"Thank you, Nev. You're the best friend a guy could ever have."

"Ah, so Mr. Longbottom gets the pleasure of one of Harrison's patented hugs," the Potions Master said with laughter in his voice. Neville blushed and grinned, hugging Harrison back just as hard.

"Hey, that's not fair," Draco groused, lower lip pooched out. "I want a hug, too." Suddenly, the blond was engulfed in Harrison's arms, the raven whispering in his ear, as well.

"You're the best, Draco. You'll always be number one with me."

"All right. Now that we've got that settled, it's time to go."

* * *

"Greetings, Mr. Longbottom," Tom said solemnly, bowing his head to the chubby boy. Neville jumped and squeaked nervously, before getting himself under control.

"H-hello, sir. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. Thank you for taking care of Harrison."

"My son was no trouble to take care of. He's made me very proud, and I am more than glad that I took him up on his offer." Harrison blushed deeply at the praise, still unaccountably embarrassed by it. Riddle chuckled fondly, pulling the preteen into his side in a one-armed hug. "Now, before we get started, I have a request, if I may?" When everyone nodded, he continued. "I would like for everyone to please call me Tom. Lord Voldemort died the day Harrison came into my life."

"Y-yes, sir," Neville stuttered, while Draco just nodded, mouth agape. Severus looked cautiously to his Lord with narrowed eyes, concerned.

"It's all right Severus," the Dark Lord replied with a small smile. "I consider both you and Lucius to be my very good friends. Perhaps even _best_ friends. You, yourself, have never failed me, nor did you use any tricks or lies to deny your service to me. You placed yourself at the old man's right hand, just where I needed you, and you've been an invaluable source of information and friendship.

"As for Lucius, he'd ensured that he wouldn't suffer any backlash for being one of my Inner Circle, and has continued to make inroads at the Ministry. He is now poised in prime position to help me take it over when the time's right. Both of you have been my staunchest allies and my most dependable resources. I would be honored if you would regard me as the friend I consider you to be."

"Thank you, my Lord," the Potions Master answered, bowing his head reverently. "I am grateful to you for your guidance and leadership, and would be proud to call you friend."

"All right, now that the sticky emotional part is out of the way, let us adjourn to my office. The wandmaker is waiting within." Turning, with his arm still holding his son tightly to his side, he led the group to his office, opening the door and stepping back in invitation. Everyone trooped in, finding chairs and lounges to sit upon while they waited for the Dark Lord. He closed the door and led his son to the desk, where the both of them sat behind it.

"This is Mykew Gregorovitch," he indicated a tall man standing behind a long table to the left of the desk. "He is an independent wandmaker, and is ready at a moment's notice. He is also my personal friend." The forbidding-looking man nodded his head at the assembled people. "Mykew, this is Neville Longbottom. He's been forced to use his father's wand; apparently his grandmother believes that he could somehow _replace_ his father."

"H-hello, sir," Neville nodded to the man respectfully. The forbidding look faded slightly as the wandmaker looked at the Ravenclaw.

"Greetings, Heir-Lord Longbottom," the wandmaker answered in a gravelly voice. "Please come over here so that we may begin." The nervous preteen walked to the table behind which Gregorovitch was standing. On the table, laid out in two neat rows, were chunks of wood and a variety of core materials. "I would like you to touch each block, until you find the wood that speaks to you." Looking at the man a little strangely, Neville did as asked, stroking fingers along the wood pieces until he touched the acacia. His fingers tingled and vibrated upon contact, and Gregorovitch nodded his head, pleased. "That is a most temperamental wood," he told the startled brunet. "It will be most faithful to you; none may win its loyalty in conquest. It will, however, be very difficult to master if one does not have the magical strength. You, however, have that strength. You are a very gifted wizard, Heir-Lord Longbottom, and a wand made with this wood will only accentuate that gift. Now, do the same with the cores, so that we may see you properly outfitted."

Once again, Neville ran his hand along the various cores, picking up one or another when he felt a bit of a spark before putting it back down again. It was when he'd picked up the thunderbird tail feather that he felt the jolt run up his arm to his shoulder, making his teeth vibrate. Smiling slightly, Gregorovitch took the feather gently from the Ravenclaw's shaking fingers, placing it atop the block of acacia wood sitting in front of him. "That is an extremely powerful core," the wandmaker said with glee. "It is most suitable for the wood. You will have a bit of difficulty mastering it at first, but with your magical core, I daresay you will be proficient in no time. Allow me two hours, and your new wand will be ready." Bowing, Gregorovitch gathered up the rest of the woods and cores, placing them carefully into the valise he'd brought with him, before being led to the potions lab by a house elf.

"If you would like, Mr. Longbottom, once you've received your wand I would be willing to work with you to master it," Tom offered quietly. Startled, Neville spun around, eyes wide on the Dark Lord. He shook himself out of his shock and smiled shyly at the elder man.

"I…I would be honored, sir," he replied, nodding his acceptance.

* * *

"Harrison," Neville called out softly. The raven turned, smiling at the happy Ravenclaw before wrapping him in a crushing hug.

"Hey, Nev. How're the lessons with Father going?"

Neville beamed at his best friend. "Your father is _awesome_ ," the 'Claw gushed giddily. "He's so patient and understanding. If I make a mistake, he's very kind and gentle when he corrects me. He's _nothing_ like I'd expected him to be."

"I'm glad. Father has nothing but wonderful things to say about you, too. He's very impressed with your skill and intellect, and has told me that he already expects great things from you."

"Thanks," Longbottom mumbled, blushing and pleased. "So, where's Draco? Usually I can't pry the two of you apart."

"He's in the dorm. Not feeling well today, so I thought I'd go to the kitchens and get him something easy to eat."

"Doesn't he have a house elf here?" Harrison scowled darkly, making Neville flinch for a second.

"He _did_ ," the raven growled. "Dumbledore discovered the two extra elves, and had Dobby banished from the castle. He couldn't do the same with Sandie, however. She refused to go, and when Dumbledore threatened her, she snapped her fingers, using her elf magic to turn his hair Slytherin green and silver. Needless to say, he wasn't happy. But, since he couldn't get rid of her, he'd restricted her to the kitchens. She's still able to take care of my meals, and Draco's now, but she can't come to the dorms, which is why I'm going to the kitchens."

"He-he's not allowed to do that, you know," Neville said into the short silence as they meandered down the hall. "House elves are bound to the family, and their magic punishes them if they're forbidden to follow the orders of that family. Most likely, at this moment, Dobby's magic is injuring him." Harrison's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger.

"I see," he growled, changing directions and heading to the dungeons. He made a beeline for Severus' private quarters, barking out the password and entering without knocking. The Potions Master looked up, shocked at the dark look on his charge's face.

"Harrison? What seems to be the problem?" he asked as he rose from behind his desk. Receiving no answer, he approached the seething preteen, putting a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Harrison?"

"Dumbledore banished Dobby from the castle," the raven said after he got his temper under control. "Neville just told me that Dobby's magic is punishing him for disobeying the direct orders of his family."

Severus strode to the fireplace, throwing floo powder into the opening. "Malfoy Manor, Lucius Malfoy's office," the dour man barked, waiting impatiently for the blond to answer.

"What is it Severus? I am in the middle of a meeting with Tom."

"Dobby has been banished from the castle by Dumbledore. His magic is most likely punishing him for his 'disobedience'. You need to deal with it before his magic kills him."

"Why should I care for a mere house elf?" the blond asked, nose in the air. Before he could continue, a voice spoke from behind him.

"Lucius. Please do not make me _crucio_ you for the abuse of a house elf," the Dark Lord's voice was tight with anger. "You will go _immediately_ and see to your elf. When you have him under control, have him come to me. I will take care of this."

"Yes, my Lord," the blond said, voice trembling. For all the humanity the Dark Lord had regained, he still was a frightening figure, and no one wanted to test his limits.

"Severus, if I may, could I come through?"

"Of course, Tom. You never have need to ask."

"Thank you, old friend." The floo closed down for a few moments, then flared again as Tom stepped through the portal. Instantly his son was in his arms, the both of them hugging each other like they hadn't seen each other for _years_ , instead of only a couple of days.

"Hello, Father," Harrison murmured, pulling back to smile into the older man's face. Riddle returned his smile, fingers carding through his son's hair.

"I am glad that you brought this issue to my attention, Harrison," his father said. "I will cast some protective spells around both Dobby and Sandie, so that they may remain here and not be influenced by the headmaster's hold on the magic of the castle."

"Sandie," Harrison called softly, smiling when the little elf popped into the room. "Father wants to cast some of his magic on you, to protect you from the magic of the school. Will you let him?"

"I is being happy to," the little elf squeaked, smiling at her charge.

"House elf magic is stronger than human magic," Neville murmured, watching as Tom cast his spells. "Why can't they throw off the orders from the headmaster?"

"Founders is being strongest witches and wizards ever," the little elf answered the Ravenclaw. "They is being granted by Lady Magick to being having magic of all magical creatures. They is being putting magic on school that house elves not being disobeying."

"Ah," Neville sighed, smiling at Harrison's little champion. "That makes sense." Before he could continue, the floo flared again, admitting Lucius, who was carrying a very sick Dobby.

"I cannot seem to get his magic to stop its punishment of him," the blond said to the room at large. He laid the elf gently down on the sofa then looked at his Lord worriedly. Harrison dashed from Severus' rooms, running to the Slytherin common room. Barking out the password, he darted to the dorms, and through the door of the bedroom he shared with Draco. The blond was still in bed, looking the worse for wear. Casting a feather light charm on his friend, he carefully lifted him from the bed and took him to Severus' chambers, settling him on the couch beside Dobby.

"I think the headmaster may have put something in Draco's food," Harrison said frantically. Instantly, Tom was there, running scans over the child's body and scowling at the results.

"He's been dosed with a slow acting poison that mimics the Wasting Disease. If he's not given the antidote soon, it will be too late." Severus ran for his personal potions stores, frantically searching for the antidote. Finding it, he ran back to his godson and tipped the vial to his lips, encouraging the blond to swallow it. Grimacing and coughing, Draco shuddered at the taste and texture before collapsing against the back of the couch with a sigh. Harrison squeezed between him and the arm of the sofa, hugging his friend tightly as they waited to see if the antidote would do its job.

Suddenly, Draco was coughing harshly, sounding as if he were choking. Harrison quickly leaned the boy forward over his knees, and pounded him on the back as he continued to cough, until a large globule of potion shot from his mouth, landing on the floor with a splat. "Thank Merlin," the raven murmured as he pulled his friend back into his arms, hugging him tightly as the blond recovered his breath. Tom waved his wand, vanishing the poison, then turned to his son, eyebrow raised. "I thought maybe because Draco wasn't feeling well, that Dobby's magic was reacting to that. Since he's been assigned to Draco personally, and Draco's been sick, maybe the bond was punishing Dobby for not taking care of his charge."

"Thank you, Master Harrison Riddle, sir," Dobby murmured shakily, eyes filled with tears. "You is being right. Dobby is being a bad elf. Dobby let Master Draco get sick. Dobby's magic punished Dobby the bad elf."

"Dobby," Draco rasped, then took the glass of water gratefully from his godfather. He swallowed half of it before he could continue. "Dobby, you have done an excellent job of taking care of me. I forbid you to punish yourself further for something that was the headmaster's fault."

* * *

"Harry," came a strident voice. The raven flinched and ducked his head, rolling his eyes at Draco as he turned.

"My name is Harrison, but you may call me Master Riddle. What can I do for you?" the Slytherin asked in a detached manner. Hermione skidded to a stop in front of the poised youth, eyeing him with disdain.

"Your _name_ is _Harry Potter_ ," she snapped, irritated at having been corrected. "As your best friend, I _demand_ to know just what you think you're doing, trying to perpetrate a fraud on the headmaster." Ebon brows rose on Harrison's forehead at the high-handed manner the muggleborn was using to her former 'best' friend.

" _My name is Harrison Salazar Riddle,"_ the boy snarled harshly, glaring angrily at the busybody. She flinched back in the face of Riddle's fury, face paling. "I have been _legally_ adopted by my father, and he has chosen to change my name to reflect my status as his son and heir to the most Noble and Ancient house of Slytherin. You would do well to remember that, Miss Granger. If you persist in maligning myself and my father, I will ensure that he take _legal_ steps to place sanctions on you. As for the supposed 'fraud' the headmaster has, no doubt, whined to you about, there _is_ none. He received the letter from the Ministry, informing him of my change in status and name. Merlin, we _all_ heard it at the sorting.

"As for your supposed status as my 'best friend', I regret to inform you that Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy have the privilege of being my best friends. Unlike _you_ and your redheaded Weasel friend, _they_ took the time to get to know the _real_ me, and not the 'legend' the headmaster has spread. Additionally, they try to _help_ me with classwork, instead of _holding me back_. _Draco_ , who is most probably one of the smartest students here, _isn't_ afraid to let someone else shine in class. _In fact_ , he encourages both Neville _and_ I to do our very best. He is more than happy to share the spotlight with others, as long as they obtain their marks legitimately. Now, if there's nothing else, I must speak to Severus. Good day, Miss Granger."

Draco and Harrison turned and angrily stalked away from the muggleborn, leaving her embarrassed at the center of a crowd that had gathered when she called out to the boy. She looked at the faces of the other students and saw pity in many of their eyes. On some faces were condescending sneers, and she bristled visibly at the patronizing looks. "What are all of you _staring_ at?" she snarled loudly.

"You," Cedric Diggory said with a smirk. "We've all heard you touted as 'the brightest witch of our age'. Yet, you must be pretty stupid not to see that Harrison Riddle isn't the 'savior' that you thought he was. In fact, I daresay that he's no 'savior' at all. Just an ordinary boy, trying to get his magical education. Perhaps you and the headmaster should realize that there is no need for a 'savior'. The wizarding world is at peace, and has been for a long time. I think it's about time the headmaster have what the muggles call 'a reality check'."


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven**

"Well, here they are," Harrison said with a scowl. He, Draco, Neville and Severus were in Tom's study, where a pensieve had been placed on a desk. Though Tom was there for the last part of that adventure, he was curious as to how the rest of it went. The memory was already in the bowl, and with a deep breath, everyone planted their faces in the enlarged basin. Harrison backed toward a chair and flopped down into it, summoning a book from Tom's desk and settling down for a while. Every now and then someone would twitch or jerk or flinch, and Harrison grimaced, wondering what part of the 'adventure' they were seeing to garner that reaction. Finally, the heads rose from the bowl, and every eye was on the raven, Tom's narrowed in fury. Shrugging, the preteen shrank back into the chair, embarrassed.

"Merlin," Draco murmured softly, eyes wide on his friend, "that was…that was…"

"Intense," Neville finished. The blond nodded his agreement.

"And too easy," Tom growled. "The only contribution that had any teeth was Severus'."

"Erm, yeah," Harrison concurred softly. "It was almost as if the challenges were made specifically for Weasley, Granger and I. One by one, each of us was able to solve a challenge, enabling us to move on. If you noticed, Granger would always blurt out an answer before I had the chance to, almost as if it were a test she was anxious to pass." Emerald eyes narrowed for a moment. "I wonder if there were monitoring or listening charms on each chamber, that she knew about, and she was trying to prove that she was, not only the smartest, but the best and really belonged in Hogwarts."

"The more I see and hear of your 'adventure', the more I think that Dumbledore had manufactured it specifically for you."

"I'm sure he did," Severus contributed, eyeing the raven speculatively. "We know that the old man wanted the two of you to meet; perhaps to kill each other. I suspect that he knows more than he's saying about your 'safeguards'."

"About that," Neville interrupted, "what, exactly, _is_ a horcrux?" Harrison and Tom both winced, each for very different reasons.

"It's a…well…it's a bit of…of… _soul_ magic," Tom stammered, unaccountably ashamed. "It's a way to ensure…immortality."

"Soul magic," Draco murmured, eyes narrowed. "That's a very dark branch of magic, isn't it?"

"It is," Severus replied, watching both Tom and Harrison carefully.

"So…so…Harrison has one of these…these… _horcruxes_ inside him?" Neville asked for clarification.

"Yeah," the raven answered softly. He looked to his father for a moment, questions in his eyes. At the imperceptible nod, he continued. "Father had made a series of them, starting when he was sixteen. It was a big part of why he was insane. When he came to kill me, my mum worked some Dark blood magic of her own to protect me, and used what's called a 'life for life' sacrificial ritual to ensure I would survive. When his curse rebounded off of the blood shield that had been emplaced around my body, his magic left behind a small bit of his soul. He was going to use my parents' and my death to make another horcrux that night. Apparently, unbeknownst to him, he did.

"When I gave him the stone, after I'd extracted the promise from him, he found out that the only way he would be able to _use_ the stone was if he reabsorbed the majority of his horcruxes, which he did. The only one left is me. The _benefit_ to this is that his sanity was returned, and his capacity to love, as well. And, before you ask, yes, at first the primary motive behind his willingness to rescue me was to protect his horcrux. In time, he grew to love me, especially after he adopted me. The feeling of _family_ was the best healing medicine ever. I had already started to love him when he came to get me in the first place. Father could have, just as easily, kept and used the stone and completely disregarded his promise. But he didn't. He showed me that I _mattered_ to him."

"The…the…s-soul piece. Is it a _big_ piece?" Neville asked cautiously.

"Not at all," Tom answered with a small smile. "By the time I went to kill his parents, I had already made five horcruxes. What no one tells you, nor is it in the books, is that when you make a horcrux, you don't just splinter off a sliver of soul. You sever it in _half_. So my school diary, which was my first horcrux, had half of my soul. The second was the Peverell ring, which ended up with half of the rest of my soul, which equated to one quarter. Slytherin's locket took one eighth, Hufflepuff's cup one sixteenth, Ravenclaw's diadem took one thirty-second, which left Harrison with one sixty-fourth. It was an infinitesimal amount of soul, but by the time I'd accidentally infected him with it, I was quite insane.

"I am more grateful than anyone could know that Harrison offered to trade the stone for his freedom and safety. I was astonished to learn that I'd actually made him one of my safeguards, but I knew that he had to be protected at all costs. When I researched how to use the stone, the information that I needed a nearly intact soul was vexing, but, since I had Harrison, I didn't really need the others. Let me tell you, reabsorbing those bits of soul was _excruciating_. Not only was it physically painful, it was mentally and emotionally torturous, as well. I had to relive, from the perspective of my _victims_ , their deaths at my hands. As well, I had to understand, through experience, the pain and loss I'd subjected the survivors to. Remorse is truly _unpleasant_ , but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I would suffer remorse and regret a thousand times over, if it meant that I would be loved; if it meant that I would be a _father;_ if it meant that I would always have Harrison in my life." Harrison rose from the chair, emerald eyes wide and shining with the love he felt for his father. He slowly approached the older man, looking into his eyes and seeing the true depth of emotion gleaming at him. With a glad cry, he threw himself into his father's arms, relishing the comfort and protection that the strong embrace afforded him.

"I…I didn't _know_ ," the raven whispered into his dad's chest. "I _knew_ you loved me, but I didn't know _how much_ you went through just to rescue me. If you didn't want me, you would've found another, less _involved_ way to bring yourself back." The others looked on, realizing, for perhaps the first time, the _true_ depth of devotion their mentor and friend felt for his son. It was an exhilarating, yet sobering, thought.

"You're right, Harrison," his father murmured to him, running long, elegant fingers through soft ebony locks. "There were other, far less intrusive ways to regain my physical form. Something told me that they wouldn't have been nearly so successful, nor so _satisfying_. The Fates put you in my path for a _reason_."

"I daresay that the prophecy linking the two of you has been fulfilled," Severus said, looking at both his friend and his ward fondly. When both Riddles looked at the Potions Master curiously, he continued. "Harrison and I went to the Department of Mysteries a couple of weeks ago, so that he could retrieve the prophecy orb concerning the two of you." Here, the preteen blushed, having remembered the orb in his possession, and pulled a small glass globe from his robe pocket, handing it to his father. "We haven't seen it yet, but, from the little I had heard before the Potters were killed, I believe the prophecy has come to fruition."

"How did you get this?" Tom asked curiously.

"I asked for it," Harrison answered matter-of-factly. "Despite what the headmaster wants me to believe, that prophecy pertains to me, and I have every right to request it. So I did." Tom chuckled, ruffling his son's hair fondly.

"Let's hear it, then, so we can see for ourselves if that's true," Neville suggested, still smiling at his best friend and his mentor, who had yet to let each other go. Nodding, Harrison reluctantly pulled from his father's arms, but Tom quickly tugged his son to his side, holding him there. He summoned a cradle and set the orb into it, waiting until Harrison had his wand out. The both of them tapped it gently, watching as Sybill Trelawney rose from the glass and began to speak.

 _"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."*_

"All right," Severus said into the sudden silence, "if we look at this logically, we can see that it has, in fact, been fulfilled." At the confused looks, he smiled. "Consider, the first part was done when the Potters escaped your clutches three times, Tom." Riddle nodded, eyes narrowed on his friend contemplatively. "You marked Harrison as your equal, both with the scar and the soul piece. Harrison's birthday is July 31, the end of the seventh month. The power that you didn't know he had, Tom, was your horcrux, which had gifted him with some of your magic."

"What about the dying part?" Harrison asked shakily, scared for his father and what it would mean.

"Well, _technically_ , you killed the _Dark Lord_ when you made that bargain with him, which allowed him to reabsorb his horcruxes and return his humanity." At the bewildered looks he was receiving, the dour man chuckled. "Look at it this way; when he reabsorbed his horcruxes and his humanity, the _Dark Lord_ ceased to exist. The _evil_ that he was, _is_ 'vanquished'. He is no more the Dark Lord than I am Mary Poppins." Tom and Harrison laughed at that; they were familiar with the muggle movie that spawned the reference. Draco and Neville just looked even more confused, before the Ravenclaw's eyes widened in comprehension.

"Voldemort is dead," he whispered wonderingly, looking at his mentor happily. " _You_ are not Voldemort. You've acknowledged Harrison as your son, using your _real_ name. Everyone in the wizarding world knows you as _you_ , not as Voldemort. Most of them don't even recognize the name, and if they _do_ , they don't see a monster anymore. You're changing our world through _peaceful_ means. The only one who still believes that Voldemort has returned, is the headmaster."

* * *

Ginny sat in the Slytherin common room, watching Harrison Salazar Riddle with longing. Only, in her mind, he was Harry James Potter, the Boy Who Lived, Hero of the wizarding world, and her future husband. She thought back on the proposal her brother had talked to her about, nibbling her lip worriedly.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _What do you want, Ron?" Ginny asks her brother quietly. They are in an abandoned classroom near the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and they have mere moments before they have to be in their common rooms for curfew._

" _I told mum and dad that you'd been sorted into Slytherin," he begins, watching as the terror fills her brown eyes. "Don't worry, sis. They're a little upset about it, but they understand. I assume you talked the hat into putting you with your future husband, right?" She can only nod, surprised her brother is smart enough to pick up on it. "Good. He's turned his back on Hermione and I, and on Gryffindor. He's even talked the Longbottom squib into abandoning Gryffindor. He's becoming Dark, hanging around Malfoy and those slimy snakes like he is. With you in the snakepit, you'll be able to convince him that his_ _ **true**_ _friends are in the tower, and that he needs to come back, where he belongs."_

" _How am I supposed to do that, Ron?" she asks sadly. "He's a year ahead of me, and he's_ _ **always**_ _surrounded by Malfoy and his cronies. I can't ever get a chance to be_ _ **alone**_ _with him."_

" _Leave that to me," the redhead answers, smirking. "I've talked mum into making a couple of_ _ **special**_ _potions that will…_ _ **change**_ _Harry's mind. When she sends them, I'll be sure to get them to you as quick as I can, so that you can start dosing his food with them. You'll need to put three drops of your blood into each potion, so that he will be keyed specifically to you. I'll show you where the kitchens are, and you can have one of the house elves slip the potions into his food."_

" _Okay," she nods, smiling eagerly. "I can't_ _ **wait**_ _to have him acknowledge me as his future bride. Ohh, can you imagine? All the beautiful children we'll have. I love him_ _ **so**_ _much…" Ron winces at the sappy way his sister's acting, hoping that he'll never act like that._

" _Erm…right," he stammers, blushing with embarrassment. "We need to get back to our common rooms before we get caught being out after curfew."_

 _ **End Flashback**_

Ron had sent a house elf to her with a message. The potions had come in, and he would give them to her sometime tomorrow. With nervous butterflies in her stomach, she went to her dorm, crawling into her bed and pulling the curtains around her, closing out her roommate. None of the Slytherin girls seemed to want to be friendly with her, and she felt so alone and isolated, trapped in enemy territory as she was. Not for the first time, she wished she hadn't been so foolhardy and talked the hat into sending her to the snakepit. She missed her brothers, and she wished that she would've gone to Gryffindor like the rest of her family had. She was sure that she would've been able to come up with a way to get Harry's attentions just as easily from the tower. Fighting back the tears of loneliness, she closed her eyes tightly. _You'd better be worth all the heartache and pain I'm putting up with now, Harry Potter.  
_

* * *

She tickled the pear three times and waited for the painting to shift aside. Once it had, she stepped into the kitchens, eyes wide on all the bustling activity going on around her. Looking left and right, she tried to find the most eager to please house elf there, finally deciding on one that seemed to dance in place in front of her, large green eyes staring hopefully up at her. "I need you to put two drops from each of these potions into Harry Potter's meals," she said, handing the vials to the elf. It looked at her with confusion for a moment.

"There is being no student named Harry Potter here, miss," it answered hesitantly, afraid of the punishment it would receive for disagreeing with Ginny. The girl scowled, scaring the elf even more.

" _Fine_ ," she gritted out. "Put them in _Harrison Riddle's_ food, then," she huffed angrily before turning and storming out of the kitchen. The elf watched the angry girl go before another elf, assigned to take care of that specific person, appeared at its side.

"Birdy," Sandie murmured, looking at the forlorn elf, "what did little miss want?"

"Little miss wants Birdy to be being putting potions in Master Harrison Salazar Riddle's food. Two drops in each meal every day. But, Birdy cannot. Only Sandie is being tending to Master Harrison Salazar Riddle's food. What is Birdy to do? Birdy must punish himself for disobeying little miss."

"No," Sandie growled lowly. "Birdy is not being allowed to punish himself. Master Harrison would be being very angry at Birdy if he did that. Give potions to Sandie. Sandie is being taking care of little miss."

* * *

Ginny waited breathlessly as Harrison ate his meals. She had told the house elf last week to start putting the potions in his food, but there was still no reaction from the raven. Scowling, she turned her attention to her own plate, seeing Goyle staring at her with an enraptured expression from the corner of her eye. _Merlin_ , the girl thought angrily, _what is_ _ **wrong**_ _with him? He's been acting really weird for the last_ _ **week**_ _. If I didn't know any better, I'd think the potions had been put into_ _ **his**_ _food. But that's ridiculous. The house elves aren't allowed to disobey direct orders from the students. Must be some kind of prank, or some plot to humiliate me. I bet_ _ **Malfoy**_ _put him up to it.  
_

* * *

Harrison and Draco were on their way to the Room of Requirement. Tom had promised to meet with them, as well as Neville, to work on their defensive and offensive spellwork. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was an ancient, retired Auror, who couldn't find his arse with both hands and a flashlight. Tom had neglected to remove the curse on the position, which left the school with the substandard defense education. He'd promised to do the ritual to release the curse during the summer holidays, and Harrison was able to talk the man into 'applying' for the position through the Ministry. Draco, Neville and he were looking forward to the man coming to the school for their third year with great excitement.

They passed an alcove and paused as they heard the hissing whispers of some students. Putting his finger to his lips to ensure silence, Harrison jerked his head in the direction of the alcove, encouraging Draco to follow. They crept silently closer, until they were just outside the space, and listened carefully.

"It's not working, Ron," they heard a girl hiss. Knowing that Weasel's sister was in the school now, they realized that the siblings were discussing something they'd done.

"What do you mean, it's not working?" the redhead barked. "Mum made those potions _personally_. You know how good she is with them. They _have_ to work."

"Well I don't know what to tell you. I went to the kitchens and had one of the house elves put two drops of each potion into Harry's food for every meal. I started it two weeks ago, and he _still_ doesn't give me the time of day. I see those slimy _cows_ getting close to my betrothed, and it makes me so _furious_. If they think they're going to be the next Lady Potter, they have another think coming. I will do whatever I need to, to make sure Harry Potter is _mine_."

"Let me talk to mum again. Maybe the ingredients were bad or something. You need to tell the elf to stop dosing Harry's food for now, until I can get more information. Maybe she just needs to use a stronger potion."

"You know what's weird?" Ginny said into the brief silence. "Goyle keeps giving me strange looks. He keeps watching me, and following me. Frankly, it's a little _creepy_." Having heard enough, the Slytherins vacated the area, rushing to the Room of Requirement, where they found Tom, Neville and Severus. The adults scowled at the two boys for being late, but those scowls morphed into worried looks at the fear in Harrison's eyes.

"Sandie," the raven called, voice trembling. Instantly, his personal elf was at his side. "The Weasels had one of the house elves put something in my food. What was it?"

"Birdie is being told to tamper with master Harrison's food. Sandie is being getting potions from Birdie and is being putting them in other boy's food." Harrison and Draco exchanged looks; they'd have to get an antidote to Goyle as soon as possible, before something unfortunate happened. "The potions is being Amortentia and Carfax Compelling Draught."

"What?" hissed Severus. "Who _dared_ to use two highly _illegal_ potions on one of my _students_?"

"It was Ginevra Weasley and her brother, Ronald," Draco replied. Harrison had gone to his father, who had conjured a large, squashy chair. Both were now seated in it, Harrison in Tom's lap with his head tucked into his father's neck as the older man tried to comfort his son. "Weaslette apparently believes that she is to be the next _Lady Potter_. Her brother wrote to their mother, who sent them the elixirs to use on Harrison. Sandie intercepted the potions, and, apparently, Greg is the one suffering the effects of their attempts to _reclaim_ Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter is dead," Neville said into the silence, his eyes on the two Riddles. "The sooner they realize that, the easier things will be for everyone. I've talked to some of the other Ravenclaws, and Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff, approached me as well. He told me about the confrontation between Harrison and Granger. He also told me that, after Draco and Harrison had left, she got angry at everyone who had watched the argument. Cedric had told her, point blank, that Harrison _wasn't_ the savior. That there was no _need_ for a savior because Voldemort is _dead_. We, surprisingly, have a lot of support from most of the students."

* * *

*From _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ , written by J. K. Rowling; published 21 June, 2003, by Bloomsbury in the UK, Scholastic in the US, and Raincoast in Canada.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

"Greg?" Harrison said quietly. They were in the common room, and Goyle was staring at Ginny Weasley, who had flushed scarlet under the constant attention. He grunted, not taking his eyes off the redhead. "Professor Snape would like to see you in his office." Nodding distractedly, the beefy boy stood and started to walk toward the Weaslette. Moving quickly, Harrison and Draco intercepted the hefty Slytherin and muscled him out of the common room and down the hall to Severus' private office. Hissing the password, Harrison and Draco swiftly shoved Goyle into the office, slamming the door. Severus threw up locking charms, to prevent the ensnared preteen from escaping. Greg instantly began pounding on the door in a mad attempt to get back to the redhead that had captivated him.

"Mr. Goyle," Severus barked loudly, startling all of the boys. Greg jumped and squeaked before turning to face his Head of House. "That's better. Now, it seems that the Weasley chit has dosed you with Amortentia and Carfax Compelling Draught. The potions were meant for Harrison. She seems to be under the misguided assumption that Mr. Riddle is Harry Potter, and that Harry Potter is to be her husband. I have the antidote to both potions here, and you must take them both immediately. If we wait any longer, your mind will be so damaged that there will be nothing we will be able to do for you." It took a few moments, but Severus' words finally sunk in, and Greg fairly _leapt_ in front of the Potions Master, vibrating with anxiety. Snape quickly handed the vials to the preteen, who downed them one after the other without so much as a grimace. It took a few moments, but the results were blatantly obvious. The tension bled from Goyle's body, and he heaved a huge sigh of relief as that niggling itch that just _wouldn't go away_ was finally eased.

"Thank you, sir," he told his Head of House.

"Do not thank me. If it hadn't have been for Harrison and Draco eavesdropping, you surely would have been lost to us."

"Thanks, fellas," he sighed out in relief as he looked at his year mates.

"Any time, Greg," Harrison replied. "We're all Slytherins, and we all need to stick together."

* * *

"Master Harrison, sir?" Sandie said quietly as she popped into his and Draco's dorm room.

"Yes, Sandie?" her charge replied, looking at her with a fond smile.

"The little miss is being naughty again."

"How so?"

"She is being talking to the house elves and is being trying to get house elves to dose Master Harrison's food. Sandie is being watching, and Sandie is being having the potions." She handed two more vials to the raven, who grimaced.

"Thank you, Sandie," Harrison said gratefully. "I don't know how I would've managed without you." The little elf blushed with pleasure at the praise, smiling widely. "How is Dobby doing? Is he feeling better?"

"Master Draco's Dobby is being good now. Dobby is being very vigilant with Master Draco's food. Dobby is being watching Master Draco when Master Draco is being in the school proper."

Harrison furrowed his brow. "Why does he need to watch Draco in the halls?"

"Dobby is being hearing lions saying that they is being _bad_ to Master Draco."

"Bad, how?"

"Dobby is being saying that lions is being _violent_. Dobby is being hearing plans from Wheezies. The identical Wheezies is being having a special map that was made by Master Harrison's father and his friends. The special map is being revealing secrets of the school, and is being showing where all students and teachers are at all times. Wheezies is being using map to _ambush_ Master Draco."

"Can you get that map for me?" Harrison asked angrily. To think, a piece of his _birthright_ was within the school and being used for _treachery_. Sandie popped away, and moments later returned with the map. He took it from her outstretched hand with a grateful nod and stared at it, feeling the magical signatures woven into the parchment. None of them felt familiar; he'd hardly any memories of his parents, and didn't know what their magic felt like. "How do you know that this was made by my father and his friends?"

"Sandie is being listening to pictures and teachers. Sandie is being hearing how the identical Wheezies is being like the 'Marauders'. Sandie is being hearing that teachers is being _missing_ Marauders. Sandie is being hearing Marauders is being called James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin."

"Ah," the preteen sighed. "Makes perfect sense." He looked at the parchment for a moment, brow furrowed. "How would I activate it?" he mused softly. Sandie watched her charge for a few moments longer, then returned to the kitchens, ready to intercept any attempts by the little miss to hurt her Master Harrison.

Harrison stared at it for a while, then decided to take it to Severus. The Potions Master was familiar with his father and friends; he'd been on the receiving end of their bullying all during his time in school. He made his way through the common room, shuddering as he could practically _feel_ the Weaslette's eyes crawling all over him. He exited the common room, his eyes still on the parchment. He meandered down the hall to Severus' private quarters, absently murmured the password and entered the chamber, surprising the dour man in the middle of a potions tome.

"Harrison! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I have a map that was made by my birth father and his cohorts," the preteen said, holding out the blank piece of parchment. "I don't know how to activate it."

"How did you come by that map?" Severus asked quietly, dark eyes intent on the cursed parchment. He recalled many times when Potter and his sycophants would suddenly appear in front of him, to torment him. More than once, he'd spied the parchment in the bastard's hands, and a couple of times he'd gotten a good enough look at it to see that it was a map of some sort. It only stood to reason that it was a map of the school. It also explained how James Potter always knew where Severus was.

"Sandie told me that Dobby had overheard the twins planning to ambush Draco in the halls, using the map to locate him when he's alone."

"I see," the Potions Master murmured. "It seems your birth father's legacy of torment and violence continues unabated. I shall have to have a _chat_ with those thrice-damned Weasley twins to get your answers."

"Thank you, Severus. May I leave the map here? I believe it will come in handy for you when you patrol the halls, once we've found the activation phrase." Severus' eyes widened in surprise.

"You would not mind if I use a piece of your inheritance for _spying_?"

"Better to be used to keep an eye on wayward students, than to be used to attack an _innocent_."

"Fair point," the dour man murmured with a conceding nod. "I would be honored to keep it, and make good use of it."

"Thank you, Severus. I believe it will be in good, _trustworthy_ hands here. By the way, Sandie brought me two more potions that Weaslette wanted put into my food. Do you know what they are?" He handed the vials to the Potions Master, who looked closely at them.

"I cannot say for sure," he murmured. "I will need to run some tests on these, to discern the ingredients. I will then be able to make a determination as to their purpose and efficacy."

"When you do, see if you can detect the magical signatures attached to them. If the Weasleys are manufacturing these obviously illegal substances, and for the harm of a student, I think we might need to get the Department of Magical Law Enforcement involved."

"Indeed. I shall also notify your father of the recent happenings. He would be greatly displeased if he was unaware that the Weasley chit was still wishing you harm."

"Merlin, I forgot all about Father. Thank you Severus. Please notify me as soon as you've had word from him."

* * *

"Misters Weasley," the Potions Master hissed menacingly, "please stay after class. There are a few things about which I have need to speak with you." Nodding, fear in their eyes, they packed up their belongings, waiting for everyone to leave the classroom. Once it was empty, Severus flicked his wand, closing and locking the door and putting up privacy wards. He then turned to the now cowering twins, advancing on them with gleaming onyx eyes, wand out. "I have been made aware of a _situation_ the two of you are involved in, and I need more information. _Immobilus."_ Once the boys were frozen, he lifted his wand to Fred's face. _"Legilimens,"_ he whispered, skating through the thoughts of the first Weasley twin. He'd found a wealth of information and plots against the Slytherins, but the activation phrase for the map seemed to be _protected_ somehow. Canceling the spell, he looked at the older twin with a modicum of respect. "Very good, Mr. Weasley. The two of you have managed to create a linked connection that prevents a skilled Legilimens from divining the most dangerous secrets from your mind. However, neither of you have ever been 'read' by _me_." He turned to George, raising his wand and murmuring the spell. Skating through the younger twin's mind was… _illuminating_. Where Fred's mind was more organized and less cluttered, George's mind had more free-wheeling thoughts and memories. Severus was able to find the 'lock box' that hid the twins' most valuable secrets, and it was nothing for him to pry the lid open and snatch the activation and deactivation phrases for the map.

"Thank you, gentlemen," the Potions Master growled, releasing them from the _immobilus_. "You may go." Not waiting around for a second longer, the twins fled the potions classroom to the sounds of Severus' dark chuckles.

"Merlin," George wheezed to his older brother, "that was close. I wonder what he was looking for?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good for us. By the way, Forge, what did you do with the map?"

" _Me?_ " George barked incredulously. _"You_ were the last one to have it, Gred."

"Ah, no, I wasn't. I distinctly remember you and ickle Won-Won looking at and laughing."

"Erm, now that you mention it, I _do_ remember that. Maybe Ron has it."

"Did you _give_ it to him?" Fred asked lowly, glowering.

"N-no. Maybe he _took_ it?" George replied shakily.

"And how, pray tell, would he be able to _take_ it. We would see evidence of the traps he would've tripped, had he broken into either of our trunks."

"True. But if _I_ don't have it, and _you_ don't have it, where did it go?"

* * *

"She did _what?_ " Tom yelped, infuriated. Severus cowered before the irate man, feeling afraid for the first time in a long while.

"S-she had h-her mother b-brew another A-Amortentia with lust components a-and a li-liquid im-imperius." Lucius was stammering so badly that he sounded like a terrified first year. Hell, he _felt_ like a terrified first year. It was Saturday afternoon, and Severus had come to the Keep to give the news to Tom, after discussing it with Lucius. The blond didn't want to be within a five mile radius of the Dark Lord, knowing that his fury would be monumental. Unfortunately, he knew that Severus would need the support, in case the Dark Lord decided to _crucio_ him.

"Calm down, Father," Harrison said, coming up to the man and hugging him tightly. Tom's arms wrapped around his son, squeezing him tightly in his worry. "She hasn't been able to dose me with anything since Sandie has been keeping an eye on her. Additionally, she hasn't been able to get to anyone _else_ , either. The only ones I'm worried about right now are the demon twins of Gryffindor. They're helping their brain dead brother in his quest to destroy all things Slytherin."

"Weren't you close to the twins at one time?" Draco asked curiously. He vaguely remembered Harrison and the twins laughing about something.

"No. Neville and I were their favorite victims for their pranks and 'jokes'. I pretended to laugh, because I didn't want to create any more hassle for myself. I'd learned early on in my relations with the Dursleys that I needed to keep my head down and my mouth shut if I were to survive."

"Just say the word, Harrison, and I will make those _animals_ pay for every broken bone, every cut, every scrape, every bruise. I will make them _suffer_ for every foul word uttered at you; for every insult thrown out; for every humiliation. Just tell me when. I would _enjoy_ punishing them."

"Include Severus and I in that, Tom," Lucius chimed in, relieved that the storm had passed. He'd heard from Severus, and some from Tom, about how Harrison had been raised, and he was just as incensed as the boy's father was.

"Agreed," the Potions Master growled lowly; his own upbringing had been just as cruel, and if he could mete out a little _justice_ for one of his own, he'd be a happy man.

"I love you guys," Harrison blurted out suddenly, then blushed furiously, burying his head in his father's chest. Long fingers carded through inky locks as Riddle chuckled fondly at his son's embarrassment.

"I love you, too, brat," Severus murmured, heart swelling with gratitude at the great good fortune he'd been given in being a part of his precious Lily's son's life.

"I as well," Lucius agreed. "You've brought a light to my son's life that I never thought he'd have. He'd wanted your friendship for a very long time. I'm glad that you're seeing him for who he _really_ is, and not what everyone _wants_ you to see."

"Father!" Draco whined, blushing furiously. Harrison turned and, seeing the deeply red face, snorted softly before pulling the blond into his arms.

"You're the greatest, Draco," Harrison whispered in the younger Malfoy's ear. "I couldn't ask for a better friend and companion." He pulled back and looked at the Malfoy heir for a moment, smiling softly. The blush to pale skin intensified under that contemplative look, and Draco dropped his eyes, suddenly shy for some reason. "Anyway," the raven continued as he turned to the room at large, "we need to do something about having that _cow_ arrested. There's also got to be something we can do about her stalker daughter."

"Leave the Weasleys to _me_ ," Lucius said with a malicious smirk. "They owe the Malfoy family for some broken contracts, and I will have great pleasure in exacting my revenge through you, young Master Riddle."

"Thank you, sir," the raven replied gratefully, smiling at the Malfoy patriarch. Before he knew it, Lucius had his arms full of a happy Harrison.

"It's about time Lucius received one of Harrison's patented hugs," the Potions Master snarked good-naturedly. "He really is very good at that."

"He is," Tom concurred, watching the look of pleasure that crossed the elder Malfoy's face.

"Yeah," Draco agreed, watching his father enjoy the hug without jealousy. "There's just something about one of Harrison's hugs that makes you feel _wanted_ and _loved_. I've never felt anything like it."

* * *

"Molly Weasley?" the Auror said as he brandished a piece of parchment in the redheaded woman's face. She could only nod, shocked, as he and his partner barged into the Burrow. "I am Auror John Dawlish, and this is my partner, junior Auror Jason Williamson. We have a search warrant here, as well as a warrant for your arrest. While I detain you, my partner will search the premises for illegal potions and potions ingredients." Turning to his partner, he barked out, "Be sure you check every nook and cranny. Leave no stone unturned."

"What in Merlin's name is all this _about_?" Molly screeched as the junior Auror began to ransack her kitchen.

"We have, in our possession, two highly illegal potions. One is the Amortentia potion, doctored with a lust component. The other is a liquid form of the imperius. Both potions match the magical signature we have on file for you, required when you were given a license to brew potions for use to treat your children. These two potions were sent to Hogwarts, where your daughter, Ginevra Weasley, tried to bully one of the Hogwarts house elves into placing the potions into the food of Harrison Salazar Riddle." When the woman looked baffled, he elaborated. "His birth name was Harry James Potter, before Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle adopted him."

Molly suddenly turned green and swayed alarmingly before dropping gracelessly into a kitchen chair. _Merlin_ , she thought, panicked, _how do they know? How did they find out?_ "Found them," the junior Auror crowed delightedly, bringing out from the potions lab off the kitchen a box of potions and potions ingredients he'd found hidden underneath a mountain of potatoes. "If I hadn't have been looking for trace amounts of the ingredients, I never would've found them." Williamson looked very pleased with himself.

"Good work, Jason," Dawlish said, making the younger man puff his chest out with pride. "Mark it as exhibit A and take it directly to Madam Bones." He turned back to the Weasley matriarch and pulled her to her feet. Turning her around, he pulled her arms behind her back and slapped magic suppressing cuffs on her wrists. "Molly Weasley, you are under arrest for the manufacture and distribution of illegal potions with the intent to subjugate one Harrison Salazar Riddle, for purposes unclear. You have the right to remain silent," the head Auror continued as he walked her out of her house and into a very dim future, indeed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

"Weasley," Pansy barked. "There's someone at the door for you." Standing, the girl made her way to the door to the common room, opening it and staring in shock. On the other side of the portal stood an Auror with bubblegum pink hair. In spite of her appearance, the Auror looked very serious.

"Ginevra Weasley?" the official asked. When Ginny nodded, the Auror stepped forward, grasping her arm below the elbow. "You are to come with me to Headmaster Dumbledore's office." Without another word, the Auror dragged the girl away, to the shock and surprise of most of Slytherin. Only Harrison and Draco knew what it was about, both boys feeling a mountain of relief at seeing the back of the menace.

"That was quicker than I expected," Harrison murmured to the blond.

"Yeah," Draco replied. "I didn't think Father could get anything done that quickly."

"I am _really_ glad he's on my side," the raven sighed. Draco could only nod.

* * *

"Miss Weasley," Dumbledore grumbled, scowling at the redhead. "What is this I hear about you trying to dose Harry Potter with love potions?"

"Th-that's a lie, sir," she stammered. "I-I don't know where you heard that."

"Actually," the headmaster said, now glaring at her, "it was some of the school's trusted _house elves_ who told me this. They _insist_ that you were rather rude to them, and that you tried to bully them."

"They're _house elves_ ," the girl snapped angrily. "They're completely unreliable creatures. No better than the garden gnomes we have to get rid of every year. They would lie about _anything_."

"Miss Weasley," the Auror barked, startling the girl, "we have your mother in custody. She's told us _everything._ We _also_ have samples of the potions you tried to use. They match your mother's magical signature that we have on file, and they have been contaminated with blood, which your mother told us was required to make them anchor specifically to _you_. It will do you no good to lie, and Harrison Salazar Riddle's father is pressing charges against the _both_ of you.

"As for you, headmaster, I noticed that you used the wrong name when referring to the victim. Please desist. His name is Harrison Salazar Riddle, and you would do well to _remember_ that. We've been informed of your… _meddling_ with his life before the adoption, and I am here to give you fair warning. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has the Wizengamot on standby to sanction you severely should you persist in spreading the rumors of the return of He Who Must Not Be Named. As well, should you attempt to manipulate, coerce or otherwise cajole Harrison Salazar Riddle into any more 'adventures', you will be stripped of your titles, your tenure as headmaster, and you will be incarcerated in Azkaban for a term of no less than six months. Additionally, should you continue to persist in this delusion that You Know Who is back, you will be charged with inciting civil unrest, inciting riots, and anything else that Minister Fudge can come up with.

"We are at _peace_. The wizarding world is finally turning itself around. Old laws, which _you_ have spearheaded, and continued to encourage, have been changed, or done away with. There is a sense of _freedom_ that we haven't had in a very long time. Face it, headmaster. Your time in the limelight is over." With that last pronouncement, Auror Nymphadora Tonks pulled Ginevra Weasley from her chair, pulled her arms behind her back and slapped magic suppressing cuffs on her wrists. As they exited the office, the Auror could be heard saying, "You have the right to remain silent…"

* * *

"Thank you, Lucius," Harrison said as he, Draco, and Neville entered the Potions Master's rooms. "I appreciate the speed with which you accomplished that."

"Think nothing of it, Harrison," the elder blond replied with a small smile. "Not only are you now safe, but I was able to stall Arthur Weasley's attempts to get some bills passed in the Wizengamot that would allow us to open our borders to the muggles."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Lucius. Why do you call the Weasleys 'blood traitors'?" the raven queried.

"Come in and have a seat, boys," Severus intoned. "This will be a long conversation." The preteens all perched together on the sofa in front of the fire, Harrison in the middle, while Severus took his favorite chair to the right, and Lucius the one to the left. Silence reigned for a time as the blond tried to gather his thoughts in such a way that they would make sense to the children. Finally, he nodded.

"It isn't just because he and his family favor relations with muggles, though that is a large part of it. I will tell you now, in spite of the talks I've had with your father, I will never like muggles, and I will only tolerate muggleborns. It is simply the ideals I was raised with, and I'm too old to start changing my views now. Besides; you, Harrison, have had experience with muggleborns. Tell me you don't find them obnoxious, rude, and arrogant."

"They are no more arrogant than the purebloods I've dealt with," the Riddle heir replied softly. "But you are right about one thing. They are quite obnoxious with their superior, smug attitudes. They think that, because they are part of two worlds, they have it much better than wizards and witches who've grown up in the wizarding world. What irritates me the most about them is their ideas that muggle 'progress' should be brought to the 'old fashioned' wizarding world. I'd heard Granger harp on and on and _on_ about the wizarding world being 'stuck in the dark ages', simply because we don't wish to bow down to pressure and change _who we are_ to accommodate them."

"That is one of the things that irritates me, as well," the Malfoy patriarch agreed. "The Ministry, in its desperate bid to keep muggleborns in the wizarding world, have done away with timeless traditions and celebrations that focus on our magical heritage. Things like Samhain and other solstice rituals, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and the original Yule celebrations; gone, because some upstarts from the muggle world like their 'Halloween' and 'Christmas' celebrations better. They bring their religious practices to our world, without considering that those religions see us as abominations. We have a very dark and violent history with many organized religions, most specifically Christianity. Why in _Merlin's name_ would we want to glorify practices that see us as evil and demonic? It's _absurd_.

"Anyway, to get back to the original topic, it's not just the fascination with muggles. It's also that they've done away with their own family traditions. Arthur Weasley's ancestors were well-known and liked; they did not share Arthur's affinity for muggles. They held to their family traditions, and passed family magics down through several generations. It was when Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black married that things started to go sour. Septimus had found muggles 'fascinating', and Cedrella, the 'white sheep' of the Black family, shared her husband's predilections. The Statute of Secrecy was put into place for a _reason,_ but those two had no problem violating it whenever they pleased. They would invite muggles to their house for tea, and question them on their technologies, and their lifestyles. When they got enough information, they would _obliviate_ the muggles and send them on their way.

"I don't know what, exactly, it was about the muggles that fascinated them so. I never really wanted to ask. Perhaps it was the idea of people living without the free use of magic. Perhaps it was the way that muggles adapted without magic. I do not know. What I _do_ know is that, because of their dangerous obsessions, they've caused a great deal of strife to many pureblood families over the years. A broken betrothal contract because one of the Weasleys wanted to marry a muggle. Failed business dealings because, suddenly, the Weasleys wanted to invest in _muggle_ companies. With each investment, their family sustained heavy losses, because they couldn't understand how muggle business worked in the _first_ place. The loss of their family history and magics, because they were never passed from parent to child, once Septimus started playing with the muggles like they were _pets_. His dangerous obsession risked endangering us all, but he was nearly impossible to reason with.

"Now we have Arthur, wishing to continue to jeopardize our world. It goes against the magical blood that Merlin passed down to us. It goes against Magick herself. _This_ is why I call him, and others like him, blood traitors. They are turning their backs on who we fundamentally are, all for the sake of satisfying their curiosities."

"Did you consider my birth father a blood traitor?" Harrison asked softly. Lucius winced for a moment, before straightening up in his chair proudly.

"I did. I still do. You do not have access to your family magics. The Potter family traditions have been lost. I know that Fleamont and Euphemia tried to teach James the ancient Potter rites and rituals, but your father was too interested in torturing the Slytherins to pay attention. He also had Black living with him, which made it difficult for your grandparents to teach him anything. Your mother, Lily Evans, was a singularly beautiful and warm witch. She _loved_ her magic, and, when she married your father, she tried to get him to learn the traditions and rituals, so that they could be passed on to you. Regrettably, time was not on her side, and I fear that all of that olde magick is lost to the ages."

"You…you… _liked_ my mother?" Harrison asked incredulously.

"I did," the older blond answered with a small smirk. "Severus introduced us, and, at first, I didn't really want to get to know her, being a muggleborn like she was. But she knew that my friendship with this snarky git was important to him, so she made every effort to try and get to know me. It turns out that she was not a typical muggleborn; she felt about the wizarding world the way we purebloods do. We became good friends, until your godfather tried to kill Severus. After that, I wanted nothing to do with the _Marauders_ , and unfortunately, Lily became collateral damage in the rift."

"Wow," Harrison breathed softly, looking at Lucius with new eyes. "Thank you, sir. I have gotten to know my mother through Severus, but it's nice to know that others knew her as well, and liked her." The raven paused for a moment before continuing. "I know what Mr. Black tried to do to Severus. In order for me to understand the hatred he feels for James Potter, he told me all he knew of the man, both good and bad. I can honestly say that I am glad that I'm _nothing_ like him. Even less so now, since the adoption. That my birth father 'saved' Severus from the wolf only to protect said wolf and Black from punishment or Azkaban, tells me everything I need to know about the man."

* * *

Sandie popped into the potions classroom in the middle of the lesson, handing her charge a message with a 'look' before popping away. Frowning, the raven opened it, Draco reading it over his shoulder.

 _Harrison,_

 _I wish to speak with you after dinner tonight in my office. The password is sherbet lemons. Please do not be late._

 _Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster_

"I wonder what the old goat wants," Draco murmured as he continued to stir their potion.

"I don't know, but I don't like it. It's probably something to do with the Weaslette's attempts to ensnare me." Harrison folded up the note and walked up to Severus' desk. The man was bent over essays, red ink slashing across the pages as he scowled and muttered darkly under his breath. "Severus?" the preteen said quietly. The Potions Master jumped a little, startled, and looked at his ward curiously. Without a word, Harrison slid the message across the desk and waited as Snape read it, a deep frown on his face.

"You will wait for me after dinner. We will go up together," the dour man said softly. Harrison nodded his agreement gratefully, glad that this severe man was going to have his back at the meeting. He returned to his seat, feeling lightheaded with relief.

"What did uncle Sev say?" the blond whispered.

"He wants me to wait for him after dinner so we can go up together."

"Good," Draco growled lowly.

* * *

"Ah, Harry my boy, thank you for being so prompt." Blue eyes widened as Severus entered after the child, closing the door softly behind him. "Severus? What are you doing here? I don't recall a meeting between the two of us for this evening."

"I am here as Master Riddle's guardian ad litem. Surely you haven't forgotten that small fact, headmaster."

"This is just a friendly chat, Severus," the old man said, frowning in displeasure at his puppet. "You are not required to be here."

"On the contrary, Headmaster. My instructions were perfectly clear. Harrison's father requires that I be present at _all_ meetings between you and his son. It is a magically binding contract that I cannot disobey." Both visitors could hear the headmaster grinding his teeth, and Harrison fought to suppress the smile that wanted to break free.

"Very well," the old man groused with ill humor. "Please have a seat, Harry, and we'll get started."

"My name is Harrison Salazar Riddle," the preteen snapped irritably as he sat in the gaudy chair. Severus took up a position behind the chair, watching the headmaster through narrowed, suspicious eyes. "Since you and I are not friends, I would like you to address me as Riddle, Mr. Riddle, or Heir-Lord Riddle."

"Ah, but Harrison is such a mouthful. Harry is a perfectly acceptable shortening of your name, and it is one that I've known you by for a great many years."

"Be that as it may, you have heard my request. Should you not be amenable, I will simply leave, and refuse any more 'meetings' until you can remember your manners and address me accordingly." The headmaster bared his teeth in a snarl before he could control his temper. Harrison's eyebrows rose challengingly, a small smirk on his face.

"Very well, Mr. _Riddle_ ," Albus said with no small amount of scorn, "I've asked you here today to discuss a few things that are very concerning to me. I would like to know how it was that you became the adopted son of Lord Voldemort?"

The child quirked his eyebrow, looking at the old man with confusion. "But I'm not the adopted son of Lord Voldemort." The grin of triumph on the headmaster's face quickly disappeared at the preteen's next words. "I'm _Tom Marvolo Riddle's_ son. I have no idea who this Lord Voldemort is that you keep mentioning."

"Come now, Har-er, Mr. Riddle, you know perfectly well that Tom Riddle and Lord Voldemort are one and the same person," Dumbledore chided.

"But they're _not_ , sir," the raven insisted vehemently. "From all accounts of the Dark Lord, he was a vicious, brutal, insane mass murderer, who didn't hesitate to try and kill me. My _father_ , Lord Riddle, is a kind, loving, _wonderful_ man, who wouldn't hurt anyone except in the defense of his family. He's brilliant, compassionate, and counts many people as his friends. So you see, sir, my father couldn't _possibly_ be this Lord Voldemort. Besides, isn't the Dark Lord _dead_?" Albus huffed angrily, irritated beyond belief that his puppet refused to _cooperate_. Giving up the conversation as lost for the moment, he turned to a different topic.

"Mr. Riddle, why did your _father_ have young Ginevra and her mother, Molly, arrested?"

"Who?" Harrison asked curiously.

"Ginevra Weasley and Molly Weasley," the headmaster snapped harshly, losing his cool a little.

"Ginevra…Ginevra," the boy turned to his Head of House. "Do I know a Ginevra Weasley?"

"She was in Slytherin until her arrest, Harrison," the Potions Master answered, fighting to hide his amusement as his ward played with the old coot.

"Oh…" He turned back to the headmaster. "Do you mean that redheaded girl who looks an awful lot like Ronald Weasley?"

"That would be her," the old man ground out through gritted teeth. "Why did your father have them arrested?"

"Miss Weasley was attempting to poison me with love potions and mind control potions. I had accidentally overheard her brother and her talking about them, and Mr. Weasley mentioned his mother as the brewer. Naturally, when I found out what the girl was up to, I told my father, and he took care of it."

"She's just a child, Harry," the old man stated sadly, forgetting himself. Instantly, Harrison stood from the chair and started for the door. "Where are you going? We haven't finished talking yet."

"Yes, sir, we have," Riddle responded flatly. "You refuse to acknowledge my proper name, and you continue to infer that I am somehow in the wrong for insisting on my rights as a pureblood heir. Therefore, this meeting is at an end. Any further conversations will go through our family solicitor. Good day."

* * *

"Tom! I am surprised to see you here," Severus yelped as Harrison and he stepped through the door into his private quarters. Instantly, the child was in his father's arms, seeking comfort. Draco and Neville were on the sofa in front of the fire, smiling smugly.

"I came as soon as I was informed of the meeting between my son and the headmaster," Tom said as he carded his fingers through his son's hair.

"Let me guess; Neville and Draco informed you of the conference," the Potions Master said with a scowl in the boys' directions.

"Draco told me as soon as you had left for the headmaster's office. He felt that I should be here, just in case something were to occur during the discussion."

"Something _did_ occur," Harrison mumbled into his father's chest. Chuckling, Tom pulled his son's head away from where the boy had snuggled it. Harrison scowled at the loss of his hiding place, but continued. "He insists upon calling me 'Harry'. When I told him that I'd prefer it if he called me by my surname, he very grudgingly complied. He then tried to get me to admit that I'd been adopted by 'Lord Voldemort'."

"It was masterful the way your son handled the headmaster," Severus interrupted gleefully, unable to keep his silence.

Harrison blushed at the praise, and continued. "After he failed with _that_ conversation, he tried a _new_ tack. He asked me about you pressing charges against the two Weasleys. When I explained why you had done that, he attempted to make me feel guilty for you protecting me. His words were 'she's just a child, Harry'. It was when he called me by that wretched name that I stood up to leave. When he insisted that our talk wasn't over, I informed him that it _was_ , and that any further conversations he felt we needed to have would be done through our solicitors."

"Well done, Harrison," Tom murmured, pulling the child in for another hug. "The headmaster will not take that lying down. I am sure that we will have some conversations with the Ministry before all is said and done."


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten**

"Harrison?" Severus said as he came up to the child's workstation. Emerald eyes rose to the Potions Master questioningly. "If you would, please stay after class. I need to speak with you. Draco may stay, if you wish."

"I wonder what that's about?" the blond murmured as the professor walked away to tear a strip of hide from Weasley, the redhead's cauldron smoking alarmingly.

"I don't know," the raven replied, worried. "I hope it's nothing too serious. Hopefully, Father's all right." Class soon ended, and both preteens made their slow way up to the professor's desk, Harrison wary and nervous.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Harrison asked as he stood before Severus. Draco was at his side, a hand on the small of his friend's back in support.

"Yes. I've received some rather…discouraging reports from some of your other teachers," the dour man began carefully. "It seems that you are… _struggling_ in some of your classes. Most specifically, you seem to be having an issue with Charms and Transfiguration. To some small degree, you also seem to be having difficulties in Defense. Care to tell me why?"

"I don't know, sir," Harrison replied with a frown, secretly relieved it wasn't anything _serious_. "I had trouble last year with the same classes. When Father took me shopping this past summer, he asked me why I wasn't choosing to get books dealing with Light magic. I told him that Light magic tends to make me feel a little ill. Perhaps that's what's wrong. He'd called it an allergy."

"Hmm," the professor murmured thoughtfully. "That would explain the difficulties with those particular classes, since they deal mostly with Light magic. It's really not that unusual for a student to be sickened by the type of magic he or she learns. It doesn't happen very often, but the school _does_ have programs in place so that the child with the allergy may still obtain their magical education. I'll have a talk with Albus after classes today, and see what he has to say about it."

* * *

"Come in, Severus, my boy. Have a seat. Tea? Lemon drop?" the headmaster boomed cheerfully at his Potions Master. The dark man scowled at the excessive cheerfulness, declining both the sweet and the tea. "What may I do for you today?"

"I need to talk to you about Harrison Riddle," Snape began. "It seems he has an allergy to the type of magic we teach here, which is causing him difficulties in Charms, Transfiguration, and, to a small degree, Defense Against the Dark Arts. I would like to enroll him in the alternate program, so that he may attain his magical education alongside his peers."

"An allergy, you say," the old man murmured thoughtfully. "That would explain his rather poor showing in some of his classes. I had thought that, perhaps his exposure to Voldemort is what was causing the difficulties. Are you sure it's an allergy, and not some nefarious plot? Perhaps Voldemort is draining the child of his magic. If that is the case, then we need to petition the Wizengamot to sever the adoption and turn his care over to me."

Severus sneered at the old man's blatant attempts to gain control over Harrison. "It is an allergy, headmaster," the dour man growled lowly, hackles raised. "I did the tests myself. His father is aware of the trouble he is having, and would have no problem pulling him from Hogwarts should we not be as _amenable_ to his situation as we should be. I daresay the Ministry would bend over backward to accommodate him, should it come to that."

"No…no. We don't want that," Dumbledore said quickly. "I'll notify his professors, and have the appropriate tutors brought in to help him with his disability. We cannot, in good conscience, allow him to be tutored in Dark Arts; however, I am sure we will be able to find the appropriate tutors in Neutral magic. That should suffice, I think."

"Very well, headmaster," Severus said with a nod of his head. "Thank you for your swift action on this. I am sure that his father, Lord Riddle, will be quite pleased with the efforts you are making to ensure that his heir is suitably trained and educated. Good day."

* * *

He stared at the red-haired woman sitting across the desk from him, shocked to see her in his office so soon after her arrest. When he'd heard the knock on his door, he was startled. He hadn't been expecting any visitors, and his gargoyle had failed to alert him of his company. Stunned didn't even _begin_ to cover how he felt when the portly woman strode through his door and plopped herself down in the chair in front of his desk. "Molly? What are you doing here? I thought you had been arrested." Before she could answer, the door opened again, admitting her daughter, who sat down in the chair next to her mother, eyes on her hands which were tangling in her lap. Blue eyes swiveled to the Weasley matriarch, twinkle noticeably absent.

"I was released on my own recognizance," the older woman snapped angrily. "I have monitoring charms on me that tell the Ministry my every move. I've been restricted to my home, Hogwarts, and Diagon Alley, but only if I am supervised while shopping. It's _disgraceful_."

"You only have yourself to blame for attempting to poison one of my students. The truly astonishing part is that you thought you'd be able to get away with poisoning _Harry Potter_. What in Merlin's name were you _thinking_?"

"I don't know, Albus," the redhead bellowed furiously. "I had been told, from the moment my daughter was born, that my Ginny and Harry Potter would be husband and wife. _You_ had promised me, as his magical guardian, that a betrothal contract between my daughter and Harry Potter would happen when Ginny turned thirteen. Now I find out that, not only aren't you his magical guardian anymore, but that there will be _no_ contract. How did you expect me to feel? What did you expect me to _do?_ Disappoint my only _girl?_ "

"If you would have been patient, I would've spoken to you about that," the headmaster sighed wearily. "The adoption is a lie. It is a blatant attempt by the Dark Lord to trick the boy into siding with him. I am still Harry's magical guardian, and I have already approached the goblins at Gringotts about the contract, and the vaults and inheritances that the child has waiting for him. Do not worry; I have everything under control." He turned to Ginny, who hadn't looked up once since she had been there.

"Regrettably, Miss Weasley, you are effectively under house arrest until your trial. Since the attack you launched was against a Slytherin, that House as a whole does not want you staying there, so I have arranged for private rooms for you. You are not permitted to be anywhere but your private rooms and classes. You are not permitted visitors of any kind, and you will be eating in your rooms. They will be in the dungeons, since that is where your House is located, and no one but you will have access to them." He turned back to Molly, eyes hard. "I want you to discuss this with your children. I do not want them to, in any way, interfere with my efforts to maintain control of Harry Potter. That means no potions, and no influence of _any_ kind. It's bad enough that your hotheaded son started this mess in the _first_ place.

"If I hear of any of your children stepping even one _toe_ out of line, I will expel them, and deny them access to Hogwarts permanently. I have worked too hard and invested too much into that boy for anyone else to mess it up. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Albus," the woman answered, sounding suitably cowed.

"Good. Now, if there is nothing else, I will have a house elf escort your daughter to her new rooms." He turned to the young girl with a frown. "I do not want to hear of you abusing any of my elves, Miss Weasley. You will not take your anger or frustrations out on them. _That_ will get you sent to Azkaban without trial. I will see to it _personally._ "

* * *

"What can I do for you, Albus?" Cornelius asked warily. The headmaster almost _never_ came to the Ministry, unless there was something he wanted done. Usually something _illegal_.

"I need you to gather some of the people on the Wizengamot and have Harry Potter's adoption vacated," the old man replied confidently, fully expecting that he would be obeyed. Fudge's eyes _bulged_ at the chutzpah Dumbledore exhibited, before his brows snapped down angrily.

"Now what makes you think I would do _anything_ like _that?"_ the Minister barked loudly, attracting attention all over the floor. Thorfinn Rowle poked his head out the door of his office, eyes narrowing at the confrontation, and he hastily left his office, where he had been going over the report of his latest assignment as a Hit Wizard, to find an open floo. He quickly tossed in some powder and stuck his head in the opening.

"Slytherin's Keep, Lord Riddle," he barked, waiting anxiously for his Lord to answer the call. Seconds later, Tom was at the fireplace, looking at one of his spies worriedly.

"What is it, Rowle?"

"Albus Dumbledore is here, my Lord, and he's having a rather _loud_ conversation with the Minister. Fudge seems very upset. I believe you should get here as soon as possible."

"On my way."

* * *

Riddle arrived at the same time as his solicitor, and they made their way to the Minister's office, just in time to see Fudge explode. "I don't give a tinker's _damn_ what your delusional mind has invented. I _will not_ call the Wizengamot to terminate Potter's adoption. I don't think there's any way in _hell_ I would be _able_ to, even if I _wanted_ to, which I _don't_."

"You would be correct, Cornelius," came a wry voice from the doorway. Both the Minister and Dumbledore jumped at the sudden interruption, looking at the doorway with surprise. Tom stepped through, his solicitor hot on his heels. "Harrison Salazar Riddle is my _son_ , in _blood_ and _magic._ There is no more Potter blood in his veins. That you would try and _steal_ my son away from me speaks to the kind of man you _really_ are."

"Mr. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I have a writ from the Wizengamot demanding you cease and desist in your persecution of my client," Mr. Dancere said in a no-nonsense voice. " _Furthermore_ , if you persist in attempting to sever the familial blood ties between my client and his son, we will have no choice but to seek restitution from you and your estate. Continue to slander my client, and I will see you in Azkaban.

"I also have an injunction against you, prohibiting you from calling Harrison Salazar Riddle to your office for any reason whatsoever. You are to concentrate on your duties to the school, and leave all academic and personal matters to Heir-Lord Riddle's father and teachers. _If_ , for _any_ reason, you feel you _must_ communicate with my client's son, you will submit your request, _in writing_ , to our offices, where we will consult with my client and make a decision as to whether you have just cause to speak with my client's son. Additionally, as Severus Tobias Snape _is_ Heir-Lord Riddle's guardian ad litem, he will be present at _all_ times as long as my client's son is in your presence.

"Lastly, you are to _never_ exile or forbid either the Riddle house elf or the Malfoy house elf from performing their duties to their charges again. Should you interfere, and it results in the death of one of the house elves, you will be required to repay every galleon the elf was worth. Additionally, you will be assessed punitive damages for the emotional distress suffered by the child to whom the elf belongs. Consider this your only warning, headmaster."

* * *

It was nearly time for Yule, and Harrison was excited. For the _first_ time, _ever_ , he was going to go _home_. A _real_ home, with _real_ family. It wasn't about the presents; it was _never_ about the presents. In all the time he'd spent with the Dursleys, they'd _never_ let him forget that he was unwanted. That he was an interloper on their _good, nice, normal_ family. But _now_ , he was going to celebrate Yule with a _father_ , a _guardian_ , an almost _uncle_ , a _mum_ and his two bestest friends. In his _home_. _That_ was the thing that was hardest for him to believe. That he had a _home_. The weekend visits were nice, and he hated that he'd had to leave every Sunday evening, because he was afraid that he'd wake up, and it would all be a dream. But going home for Christmas was a whole different matter entirely. He wasn't even sure his father _did_ Christmas. He'd spent so long as an insane Dark Lord that Harrison wasn't even sure his father knew what Christmas _was_. So, yeah. Excited, but really, really nervous, as well.

"Hey, Harrison," Pansy chirped, startling the raven. "Ready to go home tomorrow?"

"Y-yeah," the boy answered haltingly.

"What's wrong? Surely you don't think you'll have to stay _here_? The Dark Lord would never allow it." Harrison grimaced at the Slytherin girl for a moment.

"Pansy, I thought he told you to call him Tom. And, yeah, I don't think he'll let me stay here. I just don't know if he really _celebrates_ Christmas."

"Yes, Harrison, he gave me permission to call him Tom; it's just that addressing him the other way is a habit. One I'm working on breaking. Don't want to say the wrong thing out in the school and have the headmaster jump all over it."

"You're right about that."

"As for Christmas, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

* * *

Harrison stumbled from the floo and straight into his father's arms. Tom wrapped his son in a smothering hug, Harrison reciprocating enthusiastically. They stood like that for a while, basking in being together again before the raven reluctantly pulled from his father's arms. He looked up into that beloved face with a wide grin, happy and excited to be _home_. "I missed you, son," his father murmured, smiling down into crimson-flecked emerald eyes. The grin morphed into a loving smile as the preteen grew a little teary eyed.

"I missed you, too, Dad," he choked out, diving back in for another strong hug. He finally pulled away when a pop alerted him that his little champion had arrived home. He turned to her, but the appearance of the den out of the corner of his eye had him stopping, jaw dropped in astonishment. The entire room was festooned with twinkling fairy lights and evergreen garlands, the scent of pine and cinnamon only now reaching the boy's nose. Wide red ribbons wrapped around the furniture, and the fireplace mantel held a plethora of assorted Christmas cards, the moving pictures capturing the boy's amused attention for a moment. He continued to look around, eyes permanently wide as he took in the different types of St. Nicholases scattered around. He almost expected to see a nativity scene, but then remembered that those types of decorations were religion-based, and not at all appropriate for a wizarding celebration.

"It's wonderful, Father," the child breathed as he inhaled the scents of Christmas. Tom smiled at his son, inordinately pleased with the child's approval.

"I'm glad you like it," he murmured, dropping a gentle hand on top of his son's head. Harrison looked up at his dad, grinning happily. "The rest of the Keep is also decked out with all manner of decorations, and there is a gigantic Christmas tree in the parlor."

"That's great, but, well, why _Christmas_ decorations? Since we're magical, don't we celebrate Yule?"

"This is to be our first Christmas together," Tom answered softly. "Since the both of us were raised in the muggle world, this is a bit more familiar to us. _Next_ year, we'll be more knowledgeable of the wizarding customs and traditions, and will do Yule then. It will also be the first Christmas _ever_ , for either one of us. I know that you had received a few presents last year, when you stayed at Hogwarts, but that doesn't really count as a true Christmas celebration. You had no real family, nor did you really have anyone you could call friend, except for Neville, and he had to go home. So I wanted to make our first Christmas, and our first Christmas _together_ , really special."

Harrison flung himself into his father's arms again, tears leaking from tightly closed eyes. "Thank you so _much_ ," he whispered reverently. "This will be another first for us. We shared a first father/son vacation, a first father and son meeting after you had adopted me, a first father/son shopping trip when we were in South America, and now a first father/son Christmas celebration. You're _wonderful_ , and I love you _so much_."

"I love you very much, too, Harrison," his father whispered softly, leaning down to brush a kiss to the messy hair.

* * *

"Wow," Draco murmured as he looked around at all the flickering candles. The decorations _still_ surprised the blond, being totally unexpected, considering whose _house_ it was. It was Christmas day, and he and Neville had awakened early, joining Harrison as they descended the stairs. Both Draco and Neville had been invited to spend the entire holiday with Harrison, at the Keep, and they gladly accepted. Neville hadn't had a chance to connect with his Gran yet, since she was out of the Manor when he stopped in to drop off his trunk and pick up clothes for the extended stay, so he wasn't sure how she'd taken the re-sort. Later that day, they would join their families at the annual Yule ball held in Malfoy Manor. Augusta Longbottom and Algernon Longbottom would both be there. Neville wasn't looking forward to the party at _all_.

They walked into the parlor and stared at the tree, awestruck. Though it had been decorated when Harrison had first arrived, it was now festooned with hundreds of small packages, hanging from the boughs of the tree. Underneath were presents piled so high that one couldn't even see the tree stand or the trunk.

"Happy Christmas, boys," Tom said from behind them, startling them out of their stunned stupor. Turning, they grinned broadly at Riddle, fighting not to laugh in the man's face. He was dressed in a muggle Santa Claus suit, complete with mustache and beard. He even had the round belly, which he grasped as he attempted to do a credible 'ho ho ho'. It was the attempt at a Santa Claus laugh that had the boys rolling on the floor, laughing for all they were worth. Tom mock pouted at them, pretending to be offended. "I fail to see what is so funny," he snarked playfully, a grin hidden behind the white bush that covered the lower half of his face.

Gasping, fighting to breathe, Draco looked at the elder Riddle with affection. "You look rather silly," he finally huffed out, wiping mirthful tears from his cheeks. The raven had explained what all the little men in red suits, white hair, and beards had represented for the muggle world, so he knew what Lord Riddle had done. Harrison was turning an alarming shade of blue, fighting to catch his breath. Neville helpfully pounded him on the back, loosening his locked lungs so he could gasp in a huge gust of air.

"You're the best," he finally managed to croak out, tears still streaming down his face. "I was never able to sit on Santa's lap growing up. Hell, the way my life was, I didn't even _believe_ in the fairy tale. I always thought it was rather hypocritical of the Dursleys, to punish me for mentioning magic, but encouraging their whale of a son in his belief in a make-believe magician." The scowl that decorated his father's face was camouflaged by the mustache and beard, so Harrison was understandably oblivious to the feelings engendered by his casual mention of the treatment he'd suffered. Suddenly, he squeaked as his father scooped him up and marched to a wide, overstuffed chair situated by the fireplace. It also happened to be near the tree. Sitting, he situated his son on his lap and hugged him close, trying to give him what he'd been unjustly denied for so very long. Harrison snuggled into his dad, burying his face in the man's artificial facial hair and shuddering with suppressed emotion. Draco and Neville sat on a sofa nearby, watching with sadness as their best friend lost his grip on his emotions for a moment. The child was finally able to get himself back under control, and he leaned away from his father, gently pulling the fake mustache and beard from the older man's face. "You're so handsome. I don't want you to hide your face, even to make me happy." He leaned forward and kissed his father's cheek gently, then wrapped his arms around his dad's neck and squeezed tightly.

It was a couple of hours later when the raven finally surfaced from his doze to see his best friends sitting on a sofa across from his father and he, talking quietly and sharing some spiced hot chocolate. He looked at his dad in confusion for a moment, not sure what exactly had happened. "You had a bit of an emotional overload," Tom explained quietly, kissing his son's forehead. "We let you compose yourself, and you dozed off for a bit."


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven**

"I thought we'd have a sort of Christmas picnic here, by the tree," Tom suggested quietly, cherishing the closeness he had with his son. Neville and Draco both nodded enthusiastically, and Riddle levitated the coffee table out of the way. He then stood, still holding his child, who had wrapped his arms and legs around his dad and hung on tight, and gestured for the others to stand as well. When everyone was gathered in front of the fireplace, Tom moved the rest of the furniture out of the way. Summoning Sandie, he asked her to get a very large blanket and some pillows. Nodding, she popped away, returning moments later with the requested items. Thanking the little being, he put his son down and took the blanket, shaking it out and spreading it on the floor in front of the tree. He then took the pillows and enlarged and thickened them, until they were more like comfortable mats. Everyone chose a mat and got comfy, Harrison snuggled into his father's side, while Draco and Neville put their mats side by side and stretched out on their bellies.

"Sandie," Harrison called softly. His little champion returned, smiling widely at the gathered wizards.

"Yes, Master Harrison?" she asked eagerly. Harrison reached for a small package under the tree, handing it to the house elf with a sweet smile.

"I got you a Christmas present. I just wanted to let you know how much I love and appreciate you." The elf's large eyes welled up, and she squealed happily as she carefully took the package from his hand. Opening it, she squealed again as she pulled out a pearl necklace.

"Thank you, Master Harrison," she gushed, hopping up and down exuberantly. Harrison took the pearl necklace from the elf's hands and carefully put it around her neck, brushing his knuckles against her cheek softly as he pulled away. Tom reached for another package, a little larger than the one Harrison handed her.

"This one is from me," he said solemnly as he handed it to her. Her eyes got impossibly wide, and she slowly took the box, speechless. Opening it carefully, she gasped, frightened.

"I is being freed?" she asked tremulously.

"No, Sandie. That is to be your uniform. It is in the Slytherin house colors, with matching shoes. Harrison had told me that he didn't like that you had to wear a ratty old tea towel, and he wasn't sure how to give you a proper outfit without freeing you. Since you are Harrison's bonded elf, it fell to me to provide you with a suitable uniform, befitting your station as Harrison's personal elf. Only Harrison has the ability to free you, and he loves you too much to let you go."

"Thank you, Lord Master," she whispered, stroking the garment lovingly. The dress was a forest green crushed velvet, with lace collar, cuffs and hem. It would come to the elf's knees, and was accented with a silver sash, which tied in a bow at the back. The center of the front of the sash had an emerald, and the center of the collar, where the lace met, had a silver S, accented with small emeralds. The shoes were also silver, and sparkled in the light. She instantly popped away, returning a half hour later completely dressed. The gift even included white tights with silver stitching in the shape of serpents twining around her spindly legs. All in all, she looked utterly charming, and Harrison beamed a proud smile at his little champion.

"You look very pretty, Sandie," Draco said softly, smiling at the little elf. She blushed, pleased, and handed Harrison and Tom small, wrapped gifts. Curtseying, she popped away before they could open the presents; she was feeling a little overwhelmed with the love she felt for her charge and his father. They carefully opened them, and gasped, surprised. Inside were hand-crafted wooden dolls, the exquisite detail showing just how much love and care had gone into the gifts.

"She is probably the best present I've ever received," Harrison said softly, looking at his father fondly. "She takes phenomenal care of me, and protects me fiercely. Thank you, Father, for gifting her to me."

"Only the best for _my_ son," Tom said with an arrogant tilt to his head, a small smirk of satisfaction on his face.

"Dobby," Draco called softly, smiling when his elf had popped in. The elf was wearing forest green slacks and a white silk dress shirt over which he had a silver vest and a black waistcoat. His black patent leather loafers shone in the firelight, and he wore a flat, black cabbie hat.

"Yes, Master Draco?" the elf asked, his excitability greatly toned down. The respect and regard the little blond showed for his elf had given Dobby the impetus to improve himself; to make his master proud of him. Draco had bullied his father into buying a uniform for the elf, and Dobby's reaction to the clothing was the same as Sandie's until it was explained that, since Draco actually owned him, he wasn't being freed. The blond sat up and leaned forward, handing the elf a small package. Dobby's eyes grew misty, and he carefully unwrapped the gift, gasping in pleasure as he saw what was within.

It was a small pocket watch, with fob and chain. The chain was decorated with a variety of magical creature charms, and each charm contained a protective spell for the elf. The gold watch case lid itself had one single, perfect diamond embedded in the center, twinkling mellowly in the low firelight. Also included were a set of Malfoy cufflinks, the black lacquered finish decorated with silver snakes, embossed over a large green capital 'M'.

"Thank you, Master Draco," the elf said, voice quavering. Draco leaned forward and attached the fob to Dobby's vest, dropping the watch into the watch pocket. He then took the elf's arms and carefully attached the cufflinks to the cuffs of the shirt, completing the elf's uniform with style. Dobby grinned at his charge, then dug into his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a package, handing it to the blond and popping away. Smiling fondly, Draco opened it and grinned widely. Inside was a fertilized runespoor egg, within its own specially crafted incubator. The incubator maintained a constant, regulated heat, to help the snakeling within grow.

"Is that a runespoor egg?" Tom asked incredulously.

"It is," Draco answered softly, still staring at the wonderful present he'd received. "I've always wanted one, and I guess Dobby overheard me talking to Father about it. Father said it wouldn't be prudent; that they were protected. Dobby found one for me, anyway."

"I'm feeling a little left out," Neville mock pouted as he saw the happy faces around him. Instantly, Harry and Draco pulled out large packages, handing them to the suddenly flustered Ravenclaw. "Merlin," he murmured, blushing furiously. "I was only kidding."

"We know," Harrison replied cheekily. "You were going to get them, anyway. Might as well be now."

* * *

"Are we ready for this?" Neville asked, sounding like he was going to his doom. Since his gran was going to be there, he might as _well_ have been. Draco huffed out a laugh, looking at the Ravenclaw fondly.

"It's only a party," he replied with amusement. "It's not like it's the Spanish Inquisition, you know."

"I think I'd rather prefer _that_ to facing Gran," Neville snarked, a little put out at the amusement at his expense. Draco was instantly contrite.

"I'm sorry, Neville," he apologized, face red. "I didn't mean to make light of your worries. I understand your fear. Just remember, we will _all_ be there. We have your back."

"Thanks, Draco," Longbottom murmured, feeling like a heel for a moment. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just really worried. I _know_ she can't be happy at my re-sort, but she's been suspiciously silent on the matter. I'm just afraid that she's going to humiliate me in front of _everyone_."

"We won't let her," Harrison barked, scowling. "You are the Heir-Lord of your family now, Nev. It's time you took up the reins of your station and put your foot down. She has _no right_ to treat you badly. And as for your uncle, he needs the boot. Don't let him stay there any longer. You have the right to kick him out of the Manor. _Use_ it."

* * *

They arrived at Malfoy Manor a half hour before the party was to start. They'd had presents to give, and wanted to do that before everyone else arrived. Neville was wearing both the Malfoy and Slytherin family sibling rings, Harrison and Draco having bonded to the ex Gryffindor as brothers in blood. That was part of their presents to the chubby preteen, and he was over the moon, honored that both the Malfoy and Slytherin families were willing to claim him as both son and secondary heir. Unknown to the blond or the raven, Neville had planned the exact same thing, gifting them each with a Longbottom family sibling ring, the ritual to add them to the Longbottom tapestry done after Harrison and Draco had performed theirs to include Neville on their family tapestries.

"Welcome, children," Lucius murmured, smiling. He opened his arms wide, and both Neville and Draco stepped into the elder Malfoy's embrace, while Narcissa brushed a gentle kiss to Draco's forehead, then Neville's. Lucius squeezed his sons tightly for a moment, then turned to Harrison, who enveloped the Malfoy patriarch in one of his patented hugs, while Narcissa blessed him with a kiss to the forehead. From the moment she'd met Harrison Salazar Riddle, she had been enchanted. She'd known of Lily Evans and James Potter while they were in school, and wasn't terribly impressed with Potter. She had fully expected his son to have been cut from the same cloth. Upon meeting the former Potter heir, however, she was shocked to realize that the young man was _nothing_ like the arrogant 'toe rag' that was his father. For his part, Harrison relished the maternal gestures Narcissa gifted him with, happy to know what it was like to feel a mother's love, and secretly greedy for more. Tom indulged his son's desires, knowing that her gentle care was just what the boy needed to make him feel more like a whole person.

"This is for you," the raven said shyly, handing a small box to Narcissa. She beamed at the boy, opening the package carefully and gasping in surprise at what was inside the parcel. Nestled within the velvet lining was an elegant mother's ring. It had three birthstones embedded in it; a perfectly flawless oval-cut alexandrite in the center for Draco, bracketed with a perfect, square-cut ruby to the left for Harrison and a perfect round cut ruby to the right for Neville. The rubies were a medium-dark vivid red, indicating their perfection and rarity.

"It's _beautiful_ , Harrison," she gushed, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. " _Thank_ you."

"I…I hope you don't mind that I included a…a birthstone for…for…m-me," the raven stammered, anxious and shy. "I…I…I s-see you a-as m-my mum."

"I love you as if you were my own," she replied, wrapping her arms around the nervous preteen. Harrison returned the hug, basking in the love that the woman was freely showing him. Over his head, her eyes met the crimson of her Lord, and he nodded with a small smile on his face, his eyes reflecting his pride and acceptance of the new level in her relationship with his son. Draco was grinning widely, insanely proud of his mum's adaptability and eager acceptance of the love that his best friend wanted to give to her.

"Mr. M-Malfoy," Neville stuttered softly, approaching the Malfoy patriarch slowly, "this is for…for you." He handed the older man a package, startled by the surprised pleasure that Lucius was showing. The blond opened the box and gasped loudly, eyes wide. Inside were stock certificates, in his name, for the Longbottom-Snape Potions Development and Research Labs. Severus and Neville had gotten together during the tutoring sessions, to discuss ideas and plans, and Longbottom had suggested to the Potions Master that he be lead researcher in a potions lab that Neville would purchase and stock. Between Severus and Harrison, the ingredient stock would be some of the rarest and hardest to cultivate plants, animal parts and insect parts the wizarding world had ever seen. Because Harrison had so many manors and homes scattered all over the world, Harrison, Neville and Severus had the means to explore and return with everything they would need to begin researching cures for the many wizarding diseases and afflictions that were still prevalent. Lucius was being offered a rare opportunity; to have stock in an infant company, with the means to continue investing and watching it grow from the ground up.

"Thank you, Neville," the blond man husked, emotion getting the better of him for a brief moment. "I am honored to be included in yours and Severus' endeavor, and I know that, between the two of you, it will be a rousing success."

"Uncle Lucius?" Harrison asked tentatively, stepping in front of the elder blond. He quirked an eyebrow in question at the hesitance in the raven. "Um, I…um, I…Igotyouthis," came out in a rush as a fairly large parcel was shoved into his hands. Harrison then blushed a deep red and turned, quickly going to his dad and burrowing into Tom's chest. His father's arms came around him, offering him comfort and support as the Malfoy patriarch carefully opened the package. He was shocked at the flash of fear he'd seen in those remarkable crimson-flecked emerald eyes. The shock morphed into stunned surprise as he stared into the box.

The gift was twofold. On the top was something he'd never expected to see; the original family shield crest of the House of Normandy. His great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Armand Malfoy, had arrived in Great Britain, from France, with the Norman invasion. He'd become very close friends with William the Conqueror, even going so far as to offer his 'services' to the future king. In recompense for his 'invaluable' assistance, most likely magical in nature, King William I gave Armand the prime, choice real estate on which Malfoy Manor now stood. His great five times over grandfather had received that very crest from William I, as a belated birthday present one year. Lucius smirked at the shield; it was red with three gold lions embossed on it, and it practically _screamed_ 'Gryffindor'.

Lifting it aside, his silver eyes narrowed at the next gift, nestled in tissue paper. It was a book, but not just _any_ book. It was The Regal and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of England: containing the Representations of all the English Monarchs, from Edward the Confessor to Henry the Eighth; together with many of the Great Persons that were eminent under their several reigns. The whole carefully collected from antient illuminated manuscripts by Joseph Strutt. Flipping open the cover carefully, the elder Malfoy scanned the index closely, eyes widening as he spied his relative's name, next to William the Conqueror. Closing the book, he looked up at the raven, who was still buried in his father's chest.

"Harrison," Lucius said softly, a slight quiver in his voice. The child turned and looked at his uncle in all but blood cautiously, surprised at the depth of feeling reflected in swirling silver eyes. "Thank you," he continued, bowing his head respectfully. "I know that both of these items are exceedingly rare, and very expensive. I am honored that you put as much thought into the gift as you did. If I may ask, how did you know?"

Harrison grinned sheepishly, dropping his eyes to the floor. "I…erm…spoke to Armand's portrait one day last month. He told me of his deep friendship with William the Conqueror, and lamented the loss of the crest. It took a bit of time, but with Father's help, I was able to chase down the original. It had been 'confiscated' by the Ministry of that time, when they did a raid on the Manor, looking for 'contraband'. One of Father's associates had hidden it away, expecting that he would benefit greatly when he put it up for auction. With a little 'friendly persuasion' by Dad, I was able to obtain the crest."

"And the book?"

"It was being offered through a muggle auction house. I put in the highest bid." The preteen paused for a moment, looking at the elder blond thoughtfully. "I would do pretty much _anything_ to make my family happy. You're part of my family."

* * *

The party was in full swing, and all seemed to be going well. Neville carefully avoided his gran and uncle, always making sure he was on the other side of the ballroom from them, hidden amongst the thronging crowd. The respite, however, wasn't meant to last, and Neville found himself cornered by the punchbowl, both of his immediate family bearing down on him like a runaway freight train. He frantically looked around the room for allies, his eyes meeting worried silver and emerald, and watched with a sinking heart as his friends tried to fight their way through the crowd, knowing that his gran and uncle would reach him before _they_ did.

"Neville Franklin Longbottom!" the old harpy bellowed, effectively silencing the crowd. The people stilled, staring at the tableau beside the punchbowl, allowing Harrison and Draco to finally reach their brother. Behind them were Lucius, Narcissa, who looked incensed, and Tom. Severus had come up behind Neville, and was glaring daggers at the old woman. She failed to notice the cavalry that had arrived in support of her grandson. "How _dare_ you! How could you spit on your father's _memory_ like that and get yourself _re-sorted_? I am _ashamed_ of you, young man, and as soon as school is back in session, I expect you to return to _Gryffindor_ , or expect yourself to be _disinherited_!"

"Who do you think you are, Squib?" Algernon barked at the flinching teen. "You know _damn_ well that we worked _hard_ to even get you _into_ the school! Gryffindor was the _only_ house that would consider even _taking_ you! Now you'll bring nothing but _shame_ to the family!" Severus opened his mouth, perhaps to curse the repulsive man, but Neville beat him to it, the words shocking everyone present.

"By my rights and responsibilities as Heir-Lord to the most Noble and Ancient House of Longbottom, I hereby banish Algernon Longbottom from Longbottom Manor. I also hereby put Augusta Longbottom on notice; should she, in any way, shape, or form continue to interfere or otherwise take control of my rights and responsibilities as Heir-Lord, she will be summarily banished from Longbottom Manor, and will be stripped of her titles and duties as senior Matriarch. On my magic, I so swear." A chorus of 'so mote it be' filled the hall, startling the two elder Longbottoms. However, Neville was far from finished.

"For your information, Gran, I was re-sorted at the behest of my teachers and friends," he snapped angrily at the old woman. "I was sorted into the House that the hat wanted to put me into, in the _first_ place. Ravenclaw has been a _blessing_ ; I am able to study and concentrate on my lessons and magic, without the interference of the _Gryffindors_. Because of your _meddling_ , I've had to endure the bullying and childish pranks played on me, just so _you_ could feel better about your 'failure of a grandson'. Making me use Father's wand _also_ contributed to my poor performance. _Now,_ I have a wand that suits _me_ , and friends and classmates that like me for who I am.

"For the record, I am _not_ a squib," he growled at his uncle, watching with satisfaction as the other man flinched back from his swirling magic. "Your bullying and _abuse_ of me did nothing but stunt my development. It's a miracle that I didn't accidentally _kill_ you for that stupidity you pulled when you held me out of a third story window. Touch me, or come near me again, and I will see you in _Azkaban_ ," the Longbottom Heir-Lord hissed menacingly. He then turned away, never noticing the pride in his grandmother's eyes as she watched her grandson put his uncle and herself in their places. Severus noticed the emotion, though, watching the woman with narrowed eyes. Harrison and Draco quickly followed their retreating friend, offering him support as they went outside.

"Well done, Augusta," Kingsley Shacklebolt drawled, startling the pair. "Many of us have seen the way you treated that boy, but we could do nothing about it. As long as it wasn't _physical_ , it wasn't _illegal_. Yet, in spite of your abysmal treatment of that strong young man, he _still_ grew up with more courage and integrity than _you've_ ever shown.

"As for _you_ ," the bald Auror growled, turning his burning gaze to Algernon, "it's just too bad that the statute of limitations has expired on your treatment of him, or I would've had you in _chains_ by now. As the laws governing a Family Banishment go, you now have twenty four hours to collect your things and vacate Longbottom Manor. I _will_ be checking."


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve**

"Severus?" Harrison questioned quietly, not wanting to startle the man. The Yule holiday was nearly at an end, but the Potions Master had made himself incredibly scarce for most of it. It was a small miracle that Harrison had found the dour man ensconced in one of the Keep's libraries, nose buried in a rare potions text, with a piece of parchment and quill at his right hand. Harrison had stood in the doorway, silently watching the man as he would jot a few notes down on the parchment, without ever ceasing his perusal of the book in front of his face. Now, however, the older man jumped, startled, and scrawled a long, wavy line across his parchment. He scowled at the raven in the doorway, who shrugged with a sheepish grin on his face.

"What may I do for you, Harrison?" Severus sighed, marking his place in the book with an index finger before closing it.

"I…well, I was wondering why we haven't seen you much during the holiday." Ebon eyes widened in surprise.

"I didn't wish to be an interloper in your private time with your father," Snape finally answered, a light blush dusting his pale cheeks. The preteen's eyebrows flew up at the unusually shy Potions Master for a moment, before they came down and a small frown line creased the skin between his eyebrows.

"You would not have been an _interloper_ , Severus," the raven insisted, stepping toward the seated man. "Father and I enjoy your company _immensely_." The blush darkened, and crimson-flecked emerald eyes widened as Harrison finally _understood_. "You fancy my father, don't you?" he asked quietly, watching the telltale blush deepen even more.

"I…I do," the Potions Master whispered, eyes down. "It does not matter, however. I know that he is too great a man to ever find someone like _me_ appealing." Harrison smirked at the dour man, huffing out a small laugh.

"You would be rather surprised at how my father _really_ feels about you. I'm pretty sure he feels the same for you."

"How…how do you know?" the dour man asked, eager hope in his eyes.

"Father and I have talked about his _loneliness_ ," Harrison said softly as he sat in the chair opposite the Potions Master. "You never knew it, but he'd fancied you ever since you joined his ranks when you were seventeen. Granted, he'd started to go a little mad around that time, but he never lost his attraction to you. Did you never wonder why he trusted you so much more than he did Lucius?" Harrison queried. Severus just shook his head, too shocked to speak. "Even though you were around Dumbledore so much, Father _trusted you_. You may not know it, but your loyalty to him always shone through. He always thought you'd loved my mum, and he tried really hard to spare her when he came hunting us. He did that for _you_ , hoping that, somehow, you would see it as a sort of _gift_. Arrogant, I know, but he was in a really bad way by that time. Anyway, she just wouldn't get out of the way. It taxed his very limited patience too much, and he flung the killing curse at her so he could continue with his agenda. He feels really bad about it now, and he thinks he's robbed you of any happiness you might have had with her. I don't think he realized that my mum loved my birth father very, very much.

"He's been talking about _courting_ you. Now that he's regained his sanity, and his youth, he's anxious to get started on the next phase of his life. I give him all the encouragement I can; I think you and he are well suited for each other, and it would make me very happy to see the both of you together. You just have to convince him that my mum was only a very good friend, and nothing more. You need to let him know how you feel about him. You have my blessing, Severus; I've told you before that I'd wished you were my birth father. Becoming my dad's consort is just as good. Please, don't wait too much longer." Harrison then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package. "He never got the chance to give you this. You were way too good at hiding these past couple of weeks." He handed it to the Potions Master and stood, looking down at the man with love in his eyes. "You are a very honorable man, Severus, and one to be very proud of." With that pronouncement, Harrison left the older man alone in the library.

Severus stared at the small parcel for a long time, nervous at its contents. Finally he gathered up the courage to open it, and stared into the box, mouth agape. It was the Slytherin consort ring, the emerald gleaming mellowly in the soft light. The wide beaten silver band was engraved with runes for family and love and safety. Tears welled in the ebon eyes as he thought about his future, for the first time in _ages_. _He's right,_ the man thought as he stared at the coveted ring. _It's time that I find some happiness for myself. My place is at Tom Riddle's side, in whatever capacity he needs me. And judging by the ring in this box, it is to be his consort._ Happiness welled within Severus' cold heart, warming it up until he practically _glowed_. Standing, he slipped the ring into a pocket and left the library to hunt down a fiancé.

* * *

"Severus!" Tom said in surprise, staring at the other man. "I didn't expect to see you. Frankly, I thought you'd remain in hiding until your return to Hogwarts. I am very pleased that you would come visit me."

"We…have some things to discuss, Tom," the Potions Master began hesitantly. On his way to Riddle's private wing, he'd been confident and sure of himself, happiness bubbling away. Now, however, his happiness gave way to nervousness and fear. Though Harrison had reassured the dour man of his father's feelings, Severus was still doubtful. He couldn't understand how such a beautiful, accomplished, _powerful_ man could possibly be attracted to _him._ Tom saw the flickering emotions in those deep, fathomless ebon eyes, and his own heart skipped a beat. _Could it be?_ he thought wonderingly. _Merlin, could it be?_

"Did Harrison give you the gift?" Tom asked, intent on finally cornering the slippery Slytherin.

"H-he did," Severus answered softly, eyes on the floor.

"Will you wear it? Will you consent to be mine? Will you love me as I love you?" Severus' head snapped up, hair flying around his face for a moment. He stared longingly into crimson eyes, seeing the passion and possessiveness in those ruby depths.

" _Yes_ ," Severus hissed out, vibrating with love and longing. In two strides, Tom had his arms around the thin man, lips staking their claim on Severus' heart and soul.

* * *

"I have some wonderful news, Draco," Harrison trumpeted as he stepped into their usual compartment. Neville was on the bench beside the blond, their heads bent together and talking quietly. For the briefest of moments, a flare of intense jealousy shot through the emerald-eyed boy. He shuddered at the foreign emotion, wondering what the hell it was and where it had come from. Silver eyes rose when Harrison first entered the compartment, and he spied the flame of envious covetousness in his friend's eyes before it was quickly snuffed. _That's interesting_ , the blond thought. _I wonder what it's about?_

"What is the wonderful news, Harrison?" Neville asked, unobtrusively sliding away from the blond. He had also seen the green-eyed monster, and understood its origins. Draco and Harrison spent every moment they could together, so it was natural for the raven to feel a little _possessive_ of Malfoy.

"Right," Harrison said, shaking himself out of his stupor. "Father and Severus have become engaged! Father gave Sev the Slytherin consort ring, and Severus has said yes!"

"That _is_ wonderful!" Neville gushed, insanely happy for the pair. He felt something akin to hero worship for Tom, and Severus had become a beloved mentor, so the Ravenclaw was thrilled that they'd finally gotten together. He, Harrison and Draco had discussed the way the two men danced around each other, so it was with a sense of relief that Neville greeted the news.

"Awesome!" Draco trumpeted, a wide smile on his face. "It's about bloody time, too!"

"I know!" Harrison agreed, sitting on the bench opposite his friends, the jealousy forgotten in the moment. "Father and I had talked about his feelings of isolation and loneliness many times. He'd wanted to approach Severus before now, but was afraid that the man couldn't feel anything but worshipful reverence for him, nor could he get past the notion that he'd killed any chance of happiness for Severus when he killed my mum. He didn't want Severus to be with _the Dark Lord_ ; he wanted Severus to be with _Tom_. So, I finally found the slippery snake in one of the Keep's libraries, and I had a talk with him. I gave him the consort ring and encouraged him to pursue Father. Long story short, they're going to be bonded on my birthday."

"Why your birthday?" Draco asked curiously.

"Father wants it then because he sees the bonding as a special birthday present for me. Not only will I have my father, but I'll also have a dad. Severus agrees, and has granted me permission to call him 'Dad' after the bonding ceremony. I can't _wait_."

* * *

"Harrison? Could you please stay after class? You, too, Draco. I have something I need to discuss with you."

"Yes, sir," the boys chorused before returning their attentions to their potion. "I wonder what that's about?" Harrison murmured to his lab partner, flicking glances at Severus every now and then, worried. It was nearing the end of January, and Severus was walking around the castle as if he had wings. His demeanor had softened considerably since the Yule holiday, and all the students were shocked at how _gentle_ he truly was. The only person not happy with the change in attitude was the headmaster. More than once over the last month, Dumbledore had called the dour man into his office, to discuss his 'worrying change of personality'. Accusations were made, but, in the end, Dumbledore was left wholly unsatisfied with the results. Severus, for his part, started to pull further and further away from his once-beloved mentor.

The end of class came, and Draco and Harrison packed up their things, remaining seated at their work station until all of the rest of the students had left. Once the classroom was emptied, Severus flicked his wand at the door, closing it and sealing it with locking and privacy charms. He then went to his desk and dug out the Marauder's map, bringing it to the waiting children. He placed it on top of the work table and incanted the activation phrase. The three waited until all of the map was visible, then Severus leaned over it, pointing at Gryffindor tower with the end of his wand. "Do you see something _odd_ or _out of place_ here?" he asked softly, watching the raven closely. Harrison leaned in, studying the area that Severus had indicated, eyes widening in shock.

"W-who is Peter Pettigrew?" he whispered, scandalized. "What is he doing in the Gryffindor boys' dorm? How did he get there?"

"Allow me to answer the questions with a little story." At the twin nods, Severus pulled up a chair and sat down. "On Halloween night, 1981, the Dark Lord Voldemort broke through the wards protecting a small cottage in Godric's Hollow. He entered the cottage and killed James Potter. He then ascended the stairs to the second floor, where he found Lily Potter in the nursery. The glow of a spell had just faded away, and she stood before her only son, begging for his life. The Dark Lord Voldemort offered the woman several opportunities to save herself. Voldemort, having lost his patience at her refusal to stand aside, killed her, then turned his wand on the baby in the crib. This story, everyone knows; or, at least, they _think_ they know.

"Sirius Black, the godfather of little Harry Potter, found his dearest friends dead in their home. He'd been told that little Harry would be safely seen to, and he left the house, abdicating his responsibilities to that child in favor of seeking revenge for the murders of his best friends. Unknown to all but the person who cast the _Fidelius_ on that cottage, the original secret-keeper, Sirius Black, talked his friends into switching to Peter Pettigrew. Black felt that he was too obvious a choice for secret-keeper, considering how close he was to James Potter. It would have been a brilliant plan, except for one minor flaw. Peter Pettigrew is a Death Eater. Black knew that Pettigrew had betrayed the Potters, so he went after the rat. He found and confronted him in a small muggle village, but before he could do anything, Pettigrew accused Black of betraying the Potters. He then threw a _bombarda_ at a gas main, causing an explosion that killed thirteen muggles. In the confusion, he cut off his own finger, turned into his animagus form, a rat, and escaped into the sewers.

"Flash forward a few years. Percival Weasley, out in front of his house, comes upon a rat. It seems friendly enough, though it looks a little battered. So he takes it inside the Burrow, and nurses it back to health. It becomes his pet. When Ron Weasley comes to Hogwarts, he gets the rat, a hand me down, while Percival, as head boy, has earned the reward of an owl. By this time, as far as the Weasleys know, this rat has lived for twelve years. An exceedingly long time for a rat. Peter Pettigrew is Ron Weasley's pet rat, and he is here in Hogwarts at this very moment."

"How do you know all this, Severus?" Harrison asked, impressed.

"Some of it came about from listening to 'private' conversations between the headmaster and some of his sycophants. Some of it is conjecture, based on my observations, and what I know of Black. Some of it was gleaned from unprotected minds."

"Why would you want to get this information, Uncle Sev?" Draco asked curiously. "I would think you'd be very happy to have Black locked away, considering how he and Potter treated you in school."

"You never know when some bit of random information could be used as leverage, or blackmail."

"There's my Slytherin," Harrison teased with a fond smile. Severus snorted softly in amusement before turning serious again.

"What do you wish to do, Harrison? It is your decision to make." Harrison thought it over for a few moments, watching the map. It was when he saw that the rat was completely alone in the dorm that an idea came to him.

"Sandie," he called softly, smiling at his little elf. She looked every inch the proud Slytherin family house elf as she stood before her master. "There is a rat in the second year Gryffindor boys dorm. It is not a real rat, but an animagus. I need you to pop in, stun it, and bring it here, please."

"Yes, Master Harrison," she said with a curtsey before popping out. Seconds later she was back, with the scabrous unconscious rat in her hands. Severus conjured a glass box for it, and dropped it into the enclosure by the tail.

"I will take this to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and see Amelia Bones. Once it is proven that this is, in fact, Peter Pettigrew and that Black is innocent, he will be released."

"Thank you, Severus. I may not like Black, but I can't see an innocent spending the rest of his life around dementors. It's just too cruel, even for _him_."

* * *

 _ **JANUARY 29, 1993**_

 _ **THE DAILY PROPHET**_

 _ **SIRIUS BLACK, INNOCENT!**_

 _ **Peter Pettigrew real betrayer of Potters!**_

 _Betty Braithwaite, reporter_

 _In a shocking turn of events, we here at_ _The Daily Prophet_ _have learned that Sirius Black, the supposed right hand of the Dark Lord and betrayer of James and Lily Potter, is_ _ **innocent**_ _! Severus Snape, Potions Master and professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was the man to bring in the real culprit: Peter Pettigrew. Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was the one to dose the criminal with veritaserum and interrogate him. Afterward, she had this to say:_

" _It is with great sadness that I must tell you that a great injustice has been perpetrated on the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. When Voldemort fell in 1981, marshal law was declared by the then head of the DMLE, Bartemius Crouch, Sr. It was his goal to clean up our streets, so he authorized the use of Unforgivables by the Auror Department, and he arrested and incarcerated a great many Death Eaters. Amongst those arrested was Sirius Black. The Aurors were dispatched to the scene of the confrontation between Pettigrew and Black, and they got there after the rat had murdered the muggles and escaped. Sirius Black, in the throes of insurmountable grief, was seen laughing and crying, and saying 'I did it. I killed them'. This was seen as a confession by the Aurors, who summarily arrested him and threw him into Azkaban without trial._

" _After the events of today, it is clear that Sirius Black is innocent of the charges for which he was incarcerated. Furthermore, since he has been incarcerated in that hellhole for nearly twelve years, the Ministry will compensate him one million galleons a year for every year he spent there. Additionally, at no cost to Black, he will receive the treatment he so desperately needs, for malnutrition and for the psychological effects the dementors had on him. I am deeply ashamed of our part in punishing an innocent man, and, on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I humbly beg his forgiveness."_

Remus let the paper fall to the table, staring sightlessly ahead as his mind tried to grasp the bombshell with which he'd just been hit. _He didn't do it,_ the werewolf thought in anguish. _He didn't kill James and Lily. He's_ _ **innocent**_ _. And I_ _ **believed**_ _everyone when they said that he'd_ _ **confessed.**_ _How weak and stupid_ _ **am**_ _I? I betrayed him just as badly as_ _ **Peter**_ _betrayed our_ _ **best friends**_ _._ He dropped his face in his hands and wept; crying for his lost pack, crying for his twelve years of loneliness and isolation, crying for the suffering of his mate. In all of that, not once did the man spare a thought for the baby, who had lost _everything_ that night. Not once did he consider Harry James Potter, the Boy Who Lived.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen**

"Sirius!" the werewolf husked as he pulled the gaunt, shell-shocked man into his arms. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"R-Remy?" Black queried querulously. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, Padfoot, it's me," came the soft answer as Remus carefully led the man away from the Ministry of Magic. Sirius had spent the last couple of hours filling out paperwork and receiving a vault key for the compensation he was due. Remus had waited impatiently to see his lover once again, and had nearly squeezed the life out of him once he caught sight of the animagus. "I'm going to take you to St. Mungo's. I need to get a thorough examination of you, and see how they can help you."

"Okay."

* * *

"How are you doing, Siri?" Lupin asked as he walked into Sirius' hospital room. It had been several weeks since he was released from Azkaban, and the Mind Healers had done a wonderful job of helping the animagus recover from the torture the constant exposure to dementors had inflicted.

"I feel _great_ , Remy," the Black Lord chirped cheerfully. "I can't _wait_ to get out of here."

"Good. We'll be going to Grimmauld." At the scowl, Remus laughed. "Don't worry. Things are _different_ there now. I had to execute Kreacher because he was becoming too violent and disturbed. I hated doing it, but I really had no choice when he started coming after me with a kitchen knife. I'm not sure why he didn't use his elf magic; I can only assume that he'd gone mad enough that his magic was affected. I was able to pick up a couple of relatively young house elves from an auction house, and have had them cleaning and remodeling the manor. I…I found some galleons hidden around the house, especially in Kreacher's closet, and I hope you don't mind that I used them to buy the elves." At Sirius' negative shake of his head, the werewolf heaved a relieved sigh. "Your mother's portrait…well, I couldn't get it off the wall, and her banshee screaming was crawling all over my nerves, so I…erm…I… _torched_ it."

"You _what?_ " Sirius asked incredulously, his eyebrows flying up his forehead.

"I torched it," Remus repeated defensively. "I had no choice, Sirius! She was driving me _spare_ with her caterwauling, so I found a stronger flame curse and I…well, I _burned_ the witch."

"Serves her bloody well _right_ ," Black growled, resembling his animagus form for a moment. "I'm _glad_ it's gone. I hated that unholy bitch with a _vengeance_." There was silence for a moment, both men a little uncomfortable, considering the circumstances. Finally, with a cheer he didn't really feel, Remus bustled Sirius out of the bed and tried to help him dress. The animagus slapped his hands away in frustration. "I'm not an invalid, you damn wolf. I can do it myself."

"Sorry, Siri," Remus answered sheepishly, fidgeting a little. "It's just…well…I'm so _glad_ you're free. And…um…I'm s-sorry for thinking you were the s-spy."

"S'okay, Remy," Black answered as he concentrated on buttoning up his robes. "Truth be told, I thought _you_ were the spy. That's why I talked James and Lily into switching secret-keepers. Thought I was being _brilliant_ , when I actually played right into the Dark Lord's hands. It's…it's my fault they're dead."

"No, Siri, it's not," Remus barked, startling the other man. "It's _Peter's_ fault, and he's paying for that right now."

"He _is_ , isn't he?" Sirius hissed with malicious, vindictive glee. Remus shuddered slightly at the maddened look on the animagus' face. _Reminds me a little too much of James,_ he thought with a touch of fear. _I'm hoping the therapy mitigated some of that nastiness. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  
_

* * *

"Wow, Remy," Sirius gasped when he walked through the front door of 12 Grimmauld Place. The front hall was done in an eggshell color, the crown molding a deep oak, adding a touch of elegance to the entryway. The elves had put up an oak chair rail about twenty four inches from the baseboards, also in oak, and below the chair rail was a pale blue wallpaper, patterned with a variety of blossoming trees. "You've done a _wonderful_ job with the place! It's _never_ looked like this when my _family_ lived here." Sirius inhaled deeply, the smell of lavender tickling his nose. "It even _smells_ different. I don't know how they did it, but they got rid of the Dark taint that had seeped into every surface. It doesn't even _look_ like my old home. I could _definitely_ see myself spending the rest of my life here."

"Thanks, Siri," the werewolf answered shyly, blushing. The two new house elves popped up at that moment, startling the animagus slightly.

"Good evening, Master sir," squeaked the one on the left. "I is being Reeses, and she," pointing to the one on the right, "is being Skelley. We is being proud to being serving Lord Master Black and his wolfie."

"Thank you," Sirius responded with laughter in his voice. "You two have done a remarkable job of cleaning the old place up. It's beautiful." The elves blushed shyly at the praise, smiling widely. "I don't need anything right now, so you two can be off to do whatever it is house elves do in their free time. I'll call you if I need anything."

"Thank you, Master sir," Skelley replied with a bow before the both of them popped away.

"Good choice of elves, Remy," Sirius told his partner as they walked into the drawing room. Sirius looked around in awe as he saw the light cream walls, covered with appliqué designs of stags, wolves, and Irish wolfhounds, interspersed with tiger lilies and calla lilies. Tears formed in Sirius' eyes at the meaning of the decorations, and he turned to his best living friend, overcome with emotion.

"I didn't do it," Remus whispered reverently. "I had been talking to the house elves about you and James and Lily, and I guess they took inspiration from that." _I'm glad I kept to the fondest memories,_ he thought to himself. _I'd hate to see what the elves would've done had I shared some of the less **savory** aspects of James' and Sirius' personalities._ The furniture was bright and looked like new, the fabric colors changed to compliment the walls and the beige carpet. The animagus' eyes zeroed in on the fully stocked bar, standing in the corner of the room, and he headed straight for it, digging out a bottle of firewhiskey and two tumblers. Pouring a hefty amount into the glasses, he handed one to Remus, keeping the other and knocking back the alcohol with one gulp. Blowing out a gusty sigh, Sirius refilled his glass, nursing the second drink as he walked over to the sofa. Remus sat next to his friend, and they enjoyed the quiet peacefulness of their surroundings for a while.

"How's Harry?" Sirius asked some time later. The shadows had grown long in the room, and dusk was fast approaching.

"I…I don't know," Remus answered, embarrassed. "I haven't been able to see him."

"What? Why not?"

"Albus said that he put Harry someplace safe, and that no one magical was to go anywhere near his home, for fear of leading You Know Who's men right to him. So, I don't know where he's been staying."

"Bullshit!" Sirius barked succinctly. "There should be no good reason for Dumbledore to keep you from your honorary godson. He should be in Hogwarts now, right?" At the werewolf's hesitant nod, Black continued. "Well, then, we'll just go to the school and demand to see him. I'm sure Albus would be more than happy to let me see my godson, now that I'm a free man. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to get custody of him, and he can stay here, with us."

* * *

"Sirius! Remus! What a pleasant surprise!" Dumbledore boomed cheerfully. "Come in and have a seat. Lemon drop? Tea?" Both men refused the refreshments, getting right down to business.

"We're here to see Harry, Dumbledore," Sirius demanded. "I'm a free man now, and I've been seen to by the Mind Healers at St. Mungo's. Since I'm Harry's godfather, there should be no reason for me not to have custody of him." Albus' ears perked up at the words coming from the animagus. _Of course!_ he thought to himself. _The Potters made Sirius their son's godfather. That should negate the sham of an adoption that Voldemort tricked the boy into agreeing with. This way, I can keep 'guiding' my little weapon to do what I need of him. It's perfect!_

"Of course Sirius. I'll just send for him. He should be here shortly."

* * *

An elf popped up next to Harrison in the middle of potions, again. Sighing heavily, he took the note from the little being with a nod of thanks, waiting until it was gone before opening it.

 _Harry,_

 _There are some visitors in my office for you. As soon as you've completed your classes, you are to come to my office. The password is cockroach clusters._

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Scowling, Harrison crumpled up the note and stuffed it into a pocket, jarring Draco a little when he bumped him. "Are you all right, Harrison?" the blond asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," the raven growled angrily. He fidgeted in his chair for a moment before standing and stalking up to Severus' desk. The Potions Master looked up at the movement, his eyebrow cocked at the irritated Slytherin. Without a word, the boy took the missive from his pocket and shoved it across the desk. Severus read it, eyebrows permanently skyward, before looking at the child standing before him.

"I will notify your father that the headmaster has violated the injunction against him. I am sure that he and his solicitor will come here post haste."

"Thank you, Severus," the preteen sighed in relief. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." He leaned closer to whisper the last words. "I can't _wait_ to be able to call you 'Dad'." Harrison turned and made his way back to the desk, missing the flush of pleasure that dusted the Potions Master's face.

* * *

"We're here, son," a deep voice intoned, and Harrison was up in a heartbeat, arms wrapped around his father's waist. Tom felt his son trembling, and knelt down, hands on the boy's shoulders. "Do not worry so, Harrison. We will take care of this. Nothing and no one will _ever_ be able to take you from me." Riddle stood back up and the group made their way up to the headmaster's office. Harrison gave the password and the three adults and two children clambered onto the moving spiral staircase, riding it up to Dumbledore's office. Before Harrison could knock, the shout of 'come in' filtered through the door. He opened it, eyes widening at the two men seated before the old man's desk. The dark haired, shaggy looking man in the far chair got up and took several steps toward the raven, arms out, but stopped when Harrison quickly backed away from him, and into his father's hands, which grasped his shoulders tightly.

"Harry?" Sirius asked. "Don't you know me? I'm Sirius Black, your godfather." The child scowled at the man, skirting around him without ever leaving the sheltering safety of his father, the other people filtering into the office. Dumbledore scowled at the appearance of Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Tom Riddle and his solicitor.

"The meeting was just for Harry," Dumbledore intoned gravely. "It is a personal matter, and no one else needs to be here."

"On the contrary, headmaster," Mr. Dancere remarked. "Since you have so blatantly violated the injunction against you, forbidding you from calling Harrison Salazar Riddle up to your office without prior consent, I am well within my purview as Lord Riddle's solicitor to be here, to record for future legal proceedings, anything that is said or done in this office."

"Who the hell is Harrison Salazar Riddle?" Sirius barked angrily. "I'm here to see my _godson_ , Harry Potter."

"I am Harrison Salazar Riddle," the boy spoke up, looking at the angry animagus defiantly. "I was legally adopted by my father, Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle, during the summer of 1992. And, since he has not named anyone as my godfather, I have none."

"What is this nonsense, Dumbledore? And who the hell is this Riddle person?" Sirius was, quite frankly, stymied. He'd gone there to see his godson, but was met with blatant hostility instead. He turned his eyes to the only known quantity in the office, his face morphing into a scowl of epic proportions. "I see," he snarled, taking a couple of aggressive steps toward Severus. "This is all _your_ doing, isn't it, _Snivellus_? This is some sort of sick joke. A weak, half-arsed attempt to get back at me. Right?"

"I see Azkaban has done nothing to temper your arrogance, mutt," Snape intoned maliciously. "Leaving aside, for the moment, that I had no idea who was _here;_ as usual, everything has to be about _you_."

"Listen, you slimy, greasy bastard. I don't care _who_ you bow down to or kiss the feet of; you have no place here. Be gone, and let the adults handle this."

"For your information, _Black_ , I am guardian ad litem to Harrison Salazar Riddle, or, as you knew him, Harry Potter. I have a legal right and obligation to watch over my ward while he is in the halls of this school. I am required to be with him whenever he is in the company of the headmaster. It is a responsibility that I undertake with a great deal of honor and pride. It is _you_ , mutt, that does not belong here."

"How _dare_ you," the animagus hissed, getting right into the Potions Master's face. "I am his _godfather_ ; chosen by his parents to watch over him if anything should happen to them. I take those duties very seriously…"

"Then where were you?" came the voice of the child over whom they were arguing. All conversation ceased as every eye in the office was on the boy. He flinched a little, but with his father's hands resting on his shoulders, he took a deep breath and gathered his courage. "If I was so important to you, where were you?"

"Harry, I was…"

"My name," the boy snarled angrily, "is Harrison Salazar Riddle. Since I do not know you, please address me as Mr. Riddle, or just Riddle." Sirius flushed in embarrassment, but forged ahead as if he wasn't interrupted.

"I was in Azkaban."

"Why?" the child barked out.

"Be-because everyone thought I'd killed your parents."

"Why would they think that?"

"After Voldemort broke through the wards and killed your mum and dad, I came and found you crying in your crib. I knew that Wormtail had been the one to betray them, and I went after him."

"You left me, crying, in a destroyed house to chase your _friend_?"

Sirius flinched a little under the harsh glare of crimson-flecked emerald eyes. "I was assured that you'd be watched over until I returned."

"But you didn't return, did you?"

"No," the animagus answered sadly. "Pettigrew had a trap set up for me, and he framed me for the murders of your parents, and thirteen muggles, whom he'd blown up to create a distraction. In the aftermath, he cut off one of his fingers and turned into his animagus form and fled."

"So, to summarize, you left me, a fifteen month old baby, in the midst of destruction, on the worst night of my life, to chase after your former friend. For _revenge_."

"I was told that you'd be taken care of. I was told that you would be safe."

"Safe," Harrison scoffed softly. "I was never _safe_. Headmaster Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea to send me to my mum's sister to live. After all, she was blood family, and was bound to feel _some_ sort of kindness for me, the orphaned son of her _beloved_ sister. I was beaten and starved almost from the moment I'd arrived. I was shoved into a boot cupboard underneath the front stairs, and that's where I slept for nearly ten years. I didn't even know what my name _was_ until I went to primary school. Up until then, I was called 'boy' or 'freak'. Imagine my surprise when I found out that my name was Harry Potter.

"Toward the end of my first year here, I met someone who changed my life. We had a discussion, and he agreed that I would be safer with him. So, during the summer, he came to my aunt's house and picked me up. A few days later, he adopted me, and has been my father ever since. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a schoolyard bully. You try to use violence and intimidation to get your way. Well, it won't work this time. You are nothing to me. You're just a name; a face from my parents' past. You are meaningless to me, and I would thank you to never bother me again."

"But…but _Harry_ ," Sirius whispered brokenly, "your parents wanted _me_ to take care of you. I want to do that; to honor their last wishes."

"For the last time, my name is _Harrison Salazar Riddle._ If one more person calls me by that wretched name again, I will have our solicitor set up wards so that, every time I'm called by that name, a galleon will be taken from their vaults and put into mine. Anyway, Mr. Black, do you even _know_ me?"

"Of course I know you. You're the son of James Potter, my best friend. You have his hair, though it's a little better tamed than James' was, and you have your mother's ey…well, you _had_ your mother's eyes. So, you have to have _some_ of James' personality in you. I'm sure that, once we get together and talk about your dad, you'll see that I'm the right one to take care of you. Besides, you're the son of a _Marauder_ ; there's _no way_ that you didn't inherit some of his cunning and vindictiveness, especially toward the slimy snakes of Slytherin House." Oblivious as always, Sirius never noticed the Slytherin crest on Harrison's robes, nor did he notice the tensing of the child and his father at the veiled insults.

"Ah, I see," Harrison sighed sadly. "You don't want _me_ ; you want what I _represent_. A chance to relive your glory days with my bully of a father. Maybe teach me some of the Marauders' ways? Convince me that bullying Severus and the other Slytherins was _justified_ in some way? How would you propose to do that, Mr. Black, since I grew up bullied and abused myself? How is it that you feel entirely _comfortable_ with the continued harassment of Severus Snape? You're, what, thirty-three years old? Do you think it's _admirable_ to act like a spoilt child at thirty-three?" The Potions Master snorted softly in amusement, drawing Black's attention back to him.

"Just what the hell's so funny, _Snivellus_?" he barked loudly. Remus flinched as his lover's anger started to spiral out of control. Dumbledore sat back and watched eagerly, hoping for something that would somehow disrupt the 'family' unit. "You, a Death Eater toady, think you're _better_ than me?"

"No, Black. I do not think that I am better than you because I was a Death Eater. I think I am better than you because I am an _adult_. A concept that seems to have escaped your miniscule mind."

"That's it," Sirius growled. "I've had it." He pulled his wand, pointing it in Severus' face, mouth opening to utter one of the Darkest curses he knew.

"Do you wish to return to Azkaban, Mr. Black?" Tom asked silkily. He was tense and angry at Sirius' unprovoked viciousness toward his betrothed. Distracted, the Black Lord looked at the man claiming to be his godson's father, giving Mr. Dancere the opportunity to take Sirius' wand. "Continue to be a violent disruption, and we will have no recourse but to contact the Aurors and have you arrested." Grey eyes narrowed threateningly as Sirius stalked closer to Riddle. When he was within reach, he snatched Harrison away from his father, backing away a few steps to get out of reach of the angry Lord. Wands were drawn and pointed at the animagus as the boy fought and bit to get out of the man's clutches, before stomping hard on his instep. Sirius howled as he let go of the child and hopped around on one foot, the other clasped in his hands. The preteen quickly made his way back to his father, who pushed his son behind himself protectively. Severus came to stand beside Riddle, and with the solicitor on the other side, no one would be able to reach the Riddle heir.

"I am afraid, Mr. Black, that your attempted abduction of my client's son is grounds to renew your stay in Azkaban," Mr. Dancere said coldly. He glared at Albus Dumbledore, making the older man squirm under his icy stare. "As for you, headmaster, I will file a writ immediately with Madame Bones to have you arrested."

"On what charge, may I ask?"

"On the charges of violating an injunction and attempted custodial interference. I've no doubt that you were hoping that the prior arrangements between the Potters and Black would supersede the adoption. You were wrong. For the last time, it was a _legal and binding blood adoption_. Harrison Salazar Riddle no longer carries a single drop of Potter or Evans blood within his veins. You had best get your affairs in order; I will return with the Aurors and your warrant in due time. Furthermore, any future attempts to try and manipulate the child, or any circumstances surrounding him, will be grounds for your termination as headmaster and suspension of all of the seats you maintain in the Ministry of Magic."

"Watch your step, Albus," Tom growled menacingly, ruby eyes glowing with his magic. "I have eyes and ears _everywhere_. My son is most precious to me, and I'll not have you jeopardize his life or safety any longer. Continue to harass Harrison, and I guarantee that you will not be left with a pot to piss in."


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen**

"All right, now, let's all just calm down and try and talk things out," Lupin spoke into the tense silence. He had no idea what had happened after James and Lily died, but something had _changed_ with their cub, and he was anxious to find out what it was. "Sirius, come over here and sit down." When the animagus turned to the werewolf to protest, Remus let a little amber bleed into his eyes, indicating his irritation. Head down and grumbling under his breath, he limped his way over to the vacant chair, dropping into the seat and pouting.

Severus, Draco, Tom, and Harrison went to the long sofa situated at the back of the headmaster's office. Harrison, without showing any hesitation whatsoever, crawled into his father's lap. Tom's arms wrapped securely around his son, and he leaned his head on the messy curls tucked into his neck, eyes closed in relief that his son was _safe_. Mr. Dancere handed the animagus' wand to Remus, who tucked it into an interior pocket. Sirius held out his hand to his lover, but was refused his wand by a glaring werewolf. Petulant, Sirius crossed his arms and scowled at the group on the sofa, Dancere sitting on the end next to Draco, growing angry again at the sight of a _stranger_ , cuddling _his_ godson.

"Is that really necessary?" he barked into the silence, making both boys jump at the sudden sound. "He's not a _baby_ , for Merlin's sake. How tight is the leash you have on him, anyway?" Harrison flinched sharply at the scorn in the older man's voice, turning his face into his father's neck and trying to stifle the sobs that had suddenly overwhelmed him. Instantly, Tom's hand was at the back of his son's neck, rubbing soothingly as he murmured reassurances to the frightened, overwrought boy. Harrison's hands were wrapped in his father's robes, gripping so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Once again, you display your remarkable intelligence, Black," Severus sneered at the animagus. "Because you cannot get the reactions you expect from the adults, you turn your bullying ways on a _child._ A child you profess to _love_. I find it very hard to believe that Lily would ever have agreed to name you as godfather. She _knew_ what you were like in school; she had witnessed it _dozens_ of times. I can only assume that her _husband_ brought great pressure to bear, and she could not hold up under its weight."

"Listen, you greasy bastard," Sirius barked, nearly coming out of his chair. It was only Lupin's hand, gripping his arm tightly, that kept him in place. Black didn't have a chance to finish what he would've said, however, as Remus spoke over him.

"You are right, Severus. Lily was completely against naming Sirius as godfather. She was afraid his influence would've somehow _poisoned_ Harry's personality. James was very insistent, however. I'd…I'd seen bruises on her arms, no doubt from his iron grip as he tried to convince her to do things _his_ way." Sirius turned betrayed eyes to his friend, mouth hanging open. Remus flushed, but raised his chin defiantly. "You weren't there, Siri. You didn't _know_. James had you, but Lily had _no one_. So I gave her someone she could talk to. She became a different woman after marrying him. Meeker. More submissive. It wasn't the same Lily Evans that I'd gone to school with, and it made my heart _ache_ to see what he'd done to her."

"Thank you, Lupin," Severus nodded his approval. "I am glad that at least _someone_ is capable of being honest."

"Are you calling me a _liar_ , Snivellus?" Sirius growled out, eyes narrowed.

"No, mutt. I am merely pointing out that you have blinded yourself to the simple truths in this situation. Truth: James Potter _wasn't_ the paragon of goodness and light that everyone has made him out to be. Truth: you _abandoned_ your 'godson' after his parents were murdered _right in front of him._ Truth: Harrison Salazar Riddle used to be Harry Potter, but he was never the _Savior of the wizarding world_. He only survived that night due to Lily's 'life for life' sacrificial ritual. Truth: you came here, hoping to gain custody of Harrison, _without even trying to get to know him._ You assumed that, because he was the son of James Potter, he would be _just like his father_. Spoilt, arrogant and cruel. Unfortunately for _you_ , he was raised with people who hated the very air he _breathed._ So he grew up unwanted and unloved. Treated worse than a house elf. Made to slave for those ungrateful muggles from the time he was four. Never knowing a loving word or a gentle, tender touch.

"What you see now is the result of neglect and abuse so severe that Harrison _still_ has nightmares sometimes. He's constantly afraid that something will happen to take his father away from him. Then you show up, and turn his nightmares into reality. What did you hope to accomplish, by barging in here and demanding your 'godson'? Without ever seeing him or speaking to him, did you honestly expect him to run joyously into your arms? To proclaim his undying love for you? Did you actually think he'd _beg you_ to take him away?"

Sirius heard not one word that Severus had said. He continued to glare at Tom Riddle, who was cuddling what belonged to _him_. Snivellus was _insignificant_. _Meaningless_. So it was no trouble to block out what the pansy-arsed momma's boy was saying. He was formulating plans to try and retrieve his godson from what were, to his mind, very dangerous Dark wizards. After all, the little Malfoy spawn was sitting right there, next to _his_ godson, no doubt infecting Harry with his _evilness_. Remus, however, had heard every word, and couldn't help but agree. Neither one of them actually _knew_ the child at all. They had come, expecting to meet a mini-James, and were shocked to see that, not only _wasn't_ he the spitting image of James, but he projected an elegance and grace that his birth father never showed, even though he was raised in a pureblood house. _This_ was not their Prongslet. Judging by the look on Sirius' face, Lupin knew that trouble was brewing. The animagus wasn't going to let this go very easily, so Remus had no choice but to step in and hope that he could get through to Black when they were alone.

"All right, Severus, Mr. Riddle. I apologize for disrupting your day and upsetting Heir-Lord Riddle. We will take our leave now, and not bother you again." Shocked grey eyes turned to the werewolf, whose eyes were completely amber, indicating that the wolf was just below the surface. In this mood, Remus was not one to be trifled with. Hanging his head, Sirius preceded the wolf out the door, shooting a venomous glare at the 'family' on the couch as he went, leaving Albus behind to try and salvage the mess to his satisfaction.

"Now, Albus, I think it's time we have a little _talk,_ " Tom growled lowly. "Since you seem entirely incapable of keeping your long, crooked nose out of my affairs, I have no recourse but to speak to Amelia Bones, and have you _removed_ as Hogwarts' headmaster. Furthermore, as soon as Mr. Dancere obtains your arrest warrant, I will be in the Wizengamot chambers, pushing for the maximum sentence allowed by Ministry law. This latest attempt to try and _steal my son away from me_ is the last straw."

Dumbledore smiled benignly at Riddle, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "Now, Tom. We'll have no threats, please. Let us have a _civilized_ conversation, _Voldemort_." Severus sneered at the old man, incensed that the headmaster still continued to slander his soon-to-be-bonded mate.

"Why do you insist upon insulting my betrothed in such a manner?" the Potions Master asked silkily, relishing in the shocked look on the old man's face. "You know full well that the Dark Lord is _dead_. He died in 1981, when Lily Potter lovingly sacrificed herself in that ritual to save her son's life. Here it is, nineteen ninety three, and yet, not one whisper of Voldemort _anywhere_. No raids; no unnecessary killings; no muggleborn persecutions. Just simple, honest _peace_. Why can you not just _enjoy your life_ , for _once_ , and stop meddling in others' affairs?"

"Severus, child," the man chastised condescendingly with a trembling voice, still shocked at the unexpected and unwelcome news of the engagement, infuriating the Potions Master with his attitude, "you know that is not true. The Dark Lord Voldemort sits _right next to you_ , holding the Savior of the wizarding world _against his will_. I am _positive_ that there's some sort of compulsion charm or, perhaps, the _imperius_ , which is controlling the child and keeping him docile. You once made a promise to Lily Potter's memory, to protect her child at all costs. Why are you not protecting him now?"

"Because I don't need it," came a quiet voice from the vicinity of Riddle's chest, steady and _enraged_. Harrison turned around and glared at the old man, the boy's magic making his crimson-flecked emerald eyes glow with power. "The only one I need protecting from, is _you_. I am **not** the Savior. I am just a magical child, trying to get his magical education, which you seem to be hell-bent on _interrupting_. Now, I have my studies to continue, and some tutors to meet. If you will excuse us…" Harrison stood from his father's lap, grasping Tom's hand as they headed to the door. Severus was the last one out, and he turned to the old man, ebon eyes gleaming maliciously.

"You should probably get your affairs in order, Headmaster. I fear that you do not have much time left as a free man."

* * *

As soon as Sirius and Remus landed in the entryway of Grimmauld, the animagus turned on the werewolf, grey eyes glinting angrily. "What the _hell,_ Remy? Why'd you pull me away from there? I was _this close_ " holding a hand up with thumb and index finger centimeters apart, "to getting our pup."

" _No you were not_ ," Lupin barked, livid. "You were _this close_ " his thumb and forefinger even closer together than Sirius' was, "to getting thrown back into Azkaban. _This_ time for _legitimate_ reasons. Harry James Potter _no longer exists._ He's been blood-adopted by Lord Riddle, and is Riddle's _son and heir_. _He never knew his birth parents_ , so our expectations that he would be just like James and Lily were unreasonable and ridiculous. _That child_ grew up abused, humiliated, and debased _every single day_ until he was rescued at twelve. There is no way in _hell_ that he would _ever_ agree to bully anyone else.

"As for James; I'm sorry, but toward the end, before they died, I _hated_ him. He bullied and abused Lily _all the time_. But _you,_ you never saw _any_ of it. You continued to blissfully blind yourself to the fact that James Potter was a vile, despicable human being. Maybe that's because his temperament and personality matched your _own_ so _closely_." Grey eyes widened in shock as Sirius gasped in a shuddering breath in pain.

"I would _never,_ " Sirius hissed, infuriated.

"Oh, yes you would," Remus snapped back, for once intending to have his say. He was sick to _death_ of covering for Sirius; of putting up with his bullying ways. He'd ignored it while they were in school, sure that no one else would want to befriend a werewolf. Now, however, he couldn't overlook it anymore, and wondered, for the first time, why he'd settled for an abusive arsehole. "You _have_ , every day we were at Hogwarts. You might call what you and James did _pranks,_ but, in truth, it was nothing but abuse, pure and simple. You and James _abused_ those Slytherins mercilessly. Boys _and_ girls. Peter went along with it because he _knew_ that if you weren't humiliating the _snakes_ , you would've humiliated _him_. _I_ was a miserable _coward_ for shirking _my duties_ as _prefect_ and allowing you and James to continue to _terrorize the school_. Perhaps there was more to Peter framing you than just convenience. Care to confess anything, _Padfoot_?"

"I don't know what happened to you while I was gone, but I don't _like_ it," the animagus growled, eyes narrowed furiously. "You would _never_ have turned on James and I like this."

"I _grew up_ , Sirius. You should try it sometime. People tend to take you more seriously when you're an _adult_."

"That's it," Sirius yelled in Remus' implacable face. "I've had enough. You can just get the hell out of my house, _right now_. I don't rightly give a rat's arse _where_ you go, as long as it's _away from here_."

"Gladly," the werewolf snapped, something inside him breaking as their long relationship came to a bitter end. "I think I'll mosey on over to Lord Riddle's Manor. Perhaps he'll allow me the chance to get to know Harrison Salazar Riddle, who _still_ needs some ties to his parents. I'll be more than _happy_ to fill him in on his loving, doting _father_ , and his oh-so-responsible _godfather_." With his final words still ringing in Sirius' ears, Remus apparated out and straight to Malfoy Manor. He knew that Lucius was still in touch with his Lord. Remus wasn't a _stupid_ man; he knew exactly who Tom Riddle _really_ was, but he didn't care. His werewolf senses told him that the man was being honest and true, and that he really loved Harrison deeply. As well, the changes to the laws concerning magical creatures were welcome, giving the man an opportunity for gainful employment, finally. Remus also remembered how kind and courteous the blond was to Lily, in spite of her parents, and that said a lot for Malfoy's integrity. So, anything short of mass murder was fine with Remus.

* * *

"Un-fucking- _believable_ ," Sirius muttered into his fourth glass of firewhiskey. He was intent on getting totally wrecked; the love of his life had just walked out the door, and the things he'd said had the animagus reeling. "If that's the way he _really_ feels, well then, good riddance. I'm sure I can find someone else who would treat me the way I _deserve_ to be treated. Besides, with him gone now, I can go ahead and make my plans. I've got to get my pup away from that slimy, evil bastard. But how?" Sirius was silent for a long time, staring into the fire and feeling sorry for himself. After the twelfth firewhiskey, his grey eyes brightened considerably. "Oh, I know! Hogsmeade weekends are going on. I'll just wait until most of the school is empty and go snatch him then. It'll be _perfect._ " Getting up, he staggered to the desk near the window in the lounge, grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill.

 _Albus_

 _I want to_ _come to_ _Hogwarts to get my_ _godson during Hogsmeade weekend._

 _Sirius_

Stumbling up the stairs to the owlery, he tied the missive to an owl's leg, causing the creature to shriek loudly in pain as he yanked at the bird's leg, before sending it off with a peck to his face in retaliation.

* * *

"Albus Dumbledore, we have a warrant for your arrest," Kingsley Shacklebolt intoned gravely. He stood by the fireplace, with Tonks and Moody flanking him. Solicitor Dancere was standing behind the trio, smirking at the astonished headmaster. Albus' eyes widened in shock as he quickly slipped the missive from Sirius under a pile of parchment. Fortunately, he was able to get the reply off to the animagus just before the Aurors came through his floo. When they had come through, he was sure it would be about Order business. After all, they still had to make plans to flush out Voldemort so Harry could defeat him. He'd never expected that his underlings would _betray_ him.

"Kingsley, my boy. Whyever are you arresting me?" He'd hoped bluffing his way through the interview would throw them off the scent enough for him to work a little of his mind magic. It was not to be.

"You are being detained for violating an injunction forbidding you from attempting to converse with Harrison Salazar Riddle without prior permission, attempted custodial interference, and slander," the solicitor replied, grinning maliciously.

"Slander?" the headmaster queried with false surprise. "Who was it that I had slandered?" Dancere rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and huffed out his reply.

"You have slandered Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle by continuing to spread rumors that he is the Dark Lord Voldemort. In spite of numerous warnings, including those from the Minister himself, you persist in spouting that the Dark Lord has risen; that he is, in fact, Lord Riddle, and that he has somehow kidnapped and brainwashed his own son. Additionally, you have slandered Harrison Salazar Riddle by persisting in referring to him as 'Harry Potter', and by spreading the rumors that he is the 'Savior of the wizarding world', the Chosen One, and 'the Boy Who Lived'. Both the Riddle Lord and the Riddle Heir-Lord have requested the additional charges of slander be included, since their continual warnings to you have gone unheeded."

"Alastor, surely _you_ believe me?" Albus pleaded to his very old and dear friend. The look in Moody's human eye boded ill for the old man.

"I'm sorry, Albus, but I've not seen any signs that the Dark Lord has returned," the badly scarred man replied regretfully. "It's been peaceful and quiet all these years. Face it, Dumbledore; the Dark Lord Voldemort is _dead_. It's time you let go of this obsession, before it destroys you."

Albus stood from his chair, eyes glinting slightly madly as he smirked at the gathered Aurors. "I am afraid that I will be unable to accompany you. You see, I have a wizarding world to save, and I cannot do that behind bars." He raised his arm dramatically, calling out "Fawkes!" in a commanding voice. He smiled beatifically as he waited patiently for his phoenix to come to his aid. He hadn't paid attention to his familiar in quite some time, and was chagrined to find out, as he realized that the bird wasn't responding, that the phoenix had gone through his burning, and was merely a chick. Dropping his arm, he looked sheepishly at the unimpressed people before meekly holding out his arms for the magic suppressing cuffs to be placed on his wrists. Kingsley had summoned all of his portkeys, spare wands, and other magical devices and aids as soon as he had stepped through the floo, leaving the unarmed old man shivering from the brush of the Auror's magic.

"I guess we'll be adding attempted escape and attempted evading arrest to those charges," Mr. Dancere chirped gleefully, smirking.


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen**

 _Sirius,_

 _The next Hogsmeade weekend will be a suitable time to collect your godson. I will ensure that there will be no interference from Voldemort or any of his minions. You should probably try it at ten o'clock in the morning; that way most of the students will already be gone, and won't likely be back for some time. I will endeavor to distract Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Longbottom, leaving Harry isolated. Good luck, and may Merlin be with you._

 _Albus  
_

* * *

It was another Hogsmeade weekend, and Harrison was on his way to the kitchens. He, Draco, and Neville had planned to lounge in the Room of Requirement, intending to create a game room. There would be a billiards table, a variety of card games and board games, darts and other assorted pub style games, and an area with some target dummies, so that they could work on the spells and curses that were giving them trouble. All in all, it looked to be a spectacular day. So Harrison was humming a jaunty tune when he felt arms wrap around him, pulling him into a secluded alcove. One hand covered his mouth, preventing him from calling out, and he bit down _hard_ , drawing blood. The appendage jerked away from his face with a yelp from the attacker, and Harrison's mouth opened. _"_ _ **SANDIE!**_ _"_ he bellowed at the top of his lungs, before the hand was slapped back over his mouth, driving his lips into his teeth. His mouth filled with blood, and he began to whimper, tears slowly leaking from his eyes.

A pop, unheard by the attacker, sounded right behind the man, and house elf magic slammed into the perpetrator, jerking him back against the wall, his arms at his sides and eyes wide in terror. Harrison collapsed to the floor, trembling and terrified while Sandie called for Dobby, sending him for his master. In short order Draco and Neville were in the alcove, helping the raven from the floor. They turned and stared at Sirius Black as he remained pinned to the wall, the house elf snarling viciously at the human. They saw a look of crafty glee cross the animagus' face as he concentrated, then screamed in pain as his magic constricted tightly around him. He stopped trying to transform, breathing harshly, then raised his head and tried again, with the same result. "You is not being transforming," Sandie barked at the man, startling him with the amount of rage in her voice. "You is being staying put until Lord Master is being here."

* * *

Riddle flooed into Severus' personal quarters, eyes widening at the sight of his son, curled up on the sofa and trembling. His head was in Draco's lap, the blond's fingers carding gently through the raven's hair. The preteen's head rose as his father stepped closer to the couch, tears shimmering in petrified emerald eyes.

"Harrison?" Tom asked as he knelt, cupping his son's cheek with a gentle hand. "What happened?"

"Sirius Black happened," Draco snapped, enraged, fingers still restlessly stroking Harrison's hair. "He got into the castle and tried to abduct Harrison. If Harrison hadn't have called for Sandie, he would've been gone before anyone would have noticed his absence." Tom's eyes narrowed as he took in the bruised and swollen lips, blood crusted around them. Carefully, he healed his son's damaged mouth, then kissed his cheek gently before standing.

"Where is he now?" Riddle asked with a deadly calm.

"He is being in an alcove, and is being attached to the wall," Sandie chirped happily, buffing her fingernails on her dress in a purely Harrison move. "Dobby is being watching him until you is being there, Lord Master sir." Sparing a genuinely grateful smile for the little elf, Riddle left Severus' quarters and stormed through the castle, following Dobby's magical signature until he found the animagus. As soon as the Dark Lord had arrived, Dobby popped away to check on his charge. Flicking his wand, Tom cast a _patronus_ message to his solicitor, then leaned against the opposite wall and stared at the immobilized man.

"What the hell were you thinking, Black?" Tom asked conversationally. The calm demeanor was belied by the incandescent rage glowing in ruby eyes. "Did you honestly think you'd get away with kidnapping _my son_? You _do_ realize that you will be returning to Azkaban, and this time there will be _nothing_ to get you out of there. I've spoken with Cornelius about the security measures around the prison, and I've been assured that they've been improved, to prevent any with animagus capabilities from transforming. Apparently, those with the ability have used the transformation to keep the dementors from affecting them. Unfortunately, or should I say _fortunately_ , Pettigrew attempted to escape in his animagus form, and was Kissed for his efforts. So, _that_ avenue has been closed.

"I will have my solicitor speak to the Minister about _special_ accommodations, _just for you_. You will not see the light of day for as long as I can manage it. I will also ensure that the rest of your life is _miserable_. It will be _completely_ up to you as to how long that life will be. Oh, before I forget. Remus Lupin came to see me a while back, and he has moved into the Keep with Harrison and I. It seems that, though my son does not remember _you_ , he seems to remember his Uncle Moony. They've been learning about each other, and Harrison has accepted my choice to make Remus Lupin his _godfather_. The werewolf was, naturally, over the _moon_ at the news, no pun intended. So, you see, yours and Albus' plans to _steal_ my son have failed, and as a result, you will be incarcerated, and Albus will have additional charges of aiding and abetting an attempted kidnapping. Make no mistake, I am _positive_ that Albus had a hand in this latest attempt to interfere with my relationship with my son, and I _will_ find the proof." Tom murmured _incarcerous_ , and ropes lashed themselves around Black, tightening to a painful degree. The man whimpered as the house elf spell holding him in place finally released, dropping him several inches to the stone floor. A loud crack was heard, along with a warbling scream of pain, before the man was levitated and taken to Severus' personal quarters. Mr. Dancere was just stepping from the floo when Riddle arrived, his cargo in tow.

Harrison was curled up in Severus' lap, the man perched in his favorite chair and carding long, potion-stained fingers through silky ebony locks soothingly. He looked up as the door opened, a sneer of monumental proportions on his face as Black was hovered into the room. Riddle released the _mobilicorpus,_ smirking as the man fell to the floor, head cracking hard against the stone. "Mr. Black," Dancere snarled contemptuously, "I had hoped to never see you again. Unfortunately, my wish did not come true. I have notified the Aurors of your most recent crimes, and they will be here shortly to arrest you."

* * *

"The Wizengamot will now come to order," Amelia Bones barked out as she banged her gavel against the railing. Everyone went silent, excited to see a grand show. On the docket were Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, Ginevra Weasley, and Sirius Black. Many in the gallery were shocked to see that Black was, once again, before the court, but this time they had no sympathy for him, having been informed of his nefarious acts. _This_ time, there was no one else upon whom to pin the crime. "First item on the agenda; Molly Weasley." The redheaded matriarch was led through the door and to the prisoner's dock, where she was to stand while the charges were read. "Molly Weasley, you are being charged with brewing illegal potions for the intent of subjugating Harrison Salazar Riddle for purposes unknown. How do you plead?"

"Guilty," she whispered, head down. She had been informed that Albus Dumbledore had been incarcerated, and she was told of the charges. It finally hit home that the old man had absolutely _no_ power over Harry Potter, and that, furthermore, Harry Potter no longer _existed_. She knew that what she had done, for the sake of her daughter, was abysmally stupid on so many levels, and was ready to take her punishment.

"Very well. You shall serve a term of six months in Azkaban, in the minimum security wing. Once released, you will serve an additional three years probation, and must report to your assigned probation officer every week. Additionally, your license to brew potions for home use has been revoked for those three years, and you are forbidden to buy, cultivate, or use any common ingredients that could be used as potions ingredients. Should you violate your probation in any way during those three years, you will be returned to Azkaban, to serve out the rest of your probation incarcerated." The gavel slammed down, ending the case, and a guard took her through another door which led to the transfer point to the docks to Azkaban.

"Next up, Ginevra Molly Weasley." The child was led into the room through the same door her mother had come through, and placed in the prisoner's dock. "Ginevra Weasley, you have been charged with distributing illegal potions with the intent of subjugating Harrison Salazar Riddle for purposes unknown and assault on Gregory Goyle by method of illegal potions. How do you plead?"

"Those potions weren't even _meant_ for Goyle," the girl snarled loudly, shocking the room. "As if I'd _ever_ be interested in _that_. I was promised that I would be Lady Potter when I reached the age of majority. I was promised that Harry Potter would sign a betrothal contract with me when I reached thirteen. I saw all of those slimy Slytherin cows fawning all over _my_ betrothed, and I couldn't take it anymore. Harry Potter is _mine_ , and I was going to do _everything in my power_ to ensure that he _stay_ mine."

"As that is an admission of guilt, and you plead guilty, I hereby sentence you to five years in Azkaban, in the medium security wing. Your release will be contingent upon whether or not you've understood the gravity of your crimes, and whether you feel any remorse for the attempted assault of Harrison Riddle, and the actual assault of Gregory Goyle. Should you not repent, you will serve another five years, until such time that you fully understand just how _wrong_ what you did was. Additionally, upon your release, you will be placed on ten years probation, and must report to your probation officer weekly. As well, you will be required to register as a sex offender for a period of fifteen years. Should you fail to uphold any of these conditions, you will have violated probation, and will return to Azkaban for an additional ten years, in the medium security wing." She banged her gavel again, signaling the end of the trial. The prisoner was escorted away, every eye watching the girl angrily. "We will take a fifteen minute recess before the next case."

* * *

"Sirius Orion Black, you are charged with attempted custodial interference, and attempted kidnapping of an heir to a Most Noble and Ancient House. How do you plead?"

"I was made _godfather_ to Harry Potter by his _parents_. I was only exercising my rights, as his _godfather_ , to take custody of him. I didn't do anything _wrong_."

"Sirius Black, it is apparent that you have not suitably recovered from your protracted stay in Azkaban." Gasps were heard in the gallery; many people were afraid that Bones would be lenient on the animagus, because of his previous incarceration while innocent of the charges in that case. Bones banged her gavel on the rail to retain order, glaring around at the audience for a moment before they subsided. "However, that gives you _no excuse_ in ignoring the repeated attempts, by _several_ people, to make you understand that Harry James Potter _no longer exists._ He is now Harrison Salazar Riddle, and his father was understandably enraged when you blatantly attempted to _kidnap his son_.

"He has respectfully requested the full sentence for you, with conditions. Therefore, you are hereby sentenced to thirty years in Azkaban in the maximum security wing. You will be in solitary confinement for the entire sentence, and you will be allowed _no_ visitors. In addition, all properties and monies you control as the Head of House Black will be confiscated and turned over to Lord Riddle in compensation for the trauma you caused his son. Finally, upon your release, you will be _exiled_ from magical Great Britain. We have searched for a wizarding community willing to accept responsibility for you, and have found one. You will be remanded to the custody of the wizarding community in Russia, and there you will remain for the rest of your natural life. How they choose to deal with you is up to them, but they _are required_ to make sure that you never leave their borders." She banged her gavel, and the guards came and took a struggling, screaming Sirius Black away. Harrison was pale and shaking the entire time Black was in front of the court, and had been pulled onto his father's lap partway through the trial.

"The last trial is for Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." She banged her gavel, and the prisoner was escorted to the dock. He stood tall and proud before the Wizengamot, sure in his belief that they would not sentence him. He firmly believed that he would be exonerated, as he felt he was innocent of all charges. "Albus Dumbledore, you stand before this court on charges of violating an injunction forbidding you from speaking with Harrison Salazar Riddle without prior authorization, attempted custodial interference, attempted kidnapping, aiding and abetting an attempted kidnapping, slander, attempted escape and attempted evading arrest. How do you plead?"

"Why, not guilty, of course, Amelia, my dear," the old man answered with a beatific smile, hands held out to his sides. Several snorts sounded throughout the gallery at the man's stupidity. Dumbledore heroically ignored them.

"We actually have _witnesses_ to _your_ crimes, Dumbledore," Amelia said with a nasty smile. She had grown weary of the old man's interference in every aspect of the Ministry, and was anxious to see the back of him. The old man narrowed his eyes as he glared at the august body, scowling at the news. "Our first witness is Cornelius Fudge." The Minister descended from his seat in the Wizengamot, sitting in the witness chair to the left of the bench. An Auror approached the man with a pensieve, and Fudge withdrew his memories, putting them in the bowl for viewing.

" _What can I do for you, Albus?" Cornelius asked warily. The headmaster almost never came to the Ministry, unless there was something he wanted done. Usually something_ _ **illegal**_ _._

" _I need you to gather some of the people on the Wizengamot and have Harry Potter's adoption vacated," the old man replied confidently, fully expecting that he would be obeyed. Fudge's eyes bulged at the chutzpah Dumbledore exhibited, before his brows snapped down angrily._

 _"Now what makes you think I would do_ _ **anything**_ _like_ _ **that**_ _?" the Minister barked loudly, attracting attention all over the floor. Thorfinn Rowle poked his head out the door of his office, eyes narrowing at the confrontation, and he hastily left his office, where he had been going over the report of his latest assignment as a Hit Wizard, to find an open floo. He quickly tossed in some powder and stuck his head in the opening._

" _Slytherin's Keep, Lord Riddle," he barked, waiting anxiously for his Lord to answer the call. Seconds later, Tom was at the fireplace, looking at one of his spies worriedly._

" _What is it, Rowle?"_

" _Albus Dumbledore is here, my Lord, and he's having a rather loud conversation with the Minister. Fudge seems very upset. I believe you should get here as soon as possible."_

" _On my way."  
_

* * *

 _Riddle arrived at the same time as his solicitor, and they made their way to the Minister's office, just in time to see Fudge explode. "I don't give a tinker's damn_ _ **what**_ _your delusional mind has invented. I will_ _ **not**_ _call the Wizengamot to terminate Potter's adoption. I don't think there's any way in hell I would be able to, even if I_ _ **wanted**_ _to, which I_ _ **don't**_ _."_

" _You would be correct, Cornelius," came a wry voice from the doorway. Both the Minister and Dumbledore jumped at the sudden interruption, looking at the doorway with surprise. Tom stepped through, his solicitor hot on his heels. "Harrison Salazar Riddle is_ _ **my son**_ _, in_ _ **blood**_ _and_ _ **magic**_ _. There is no more Potter blood in his veins. That you would try and_ _ **steal**_ _my son away from me speaks to the kind of man you really_ _ **are**_ _."_

" _Mr. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I have a writ from the Wizengamot demanding you cease and desist in your persecution of my client," Mr. Dancere said in a no-nonsense voice. "_ _ **Furthermore**_ _, if you persist in attempting to sever the familial blood ties between my client and his son, we will have no choice but to seek restitution from you and your estate. Continue to slander my client, and I will see you in Azkaban._

" _I also have an injunction against you, prohibiting you from calling Harrison Salazar Riddle to your office for any reason whatsoever. You are to concentrate on your duties to the school, and leave all academic and personal matters to Heir-Lord Riddle's father and teachers. If, for any reason, you feel you_ _ **must**_ _communicate with my client's son, you will submit your request,_ _ **in writing**_ _, to our offices, where we will consult with my client and make a decision as to whether you have just cause to speak with my client's son. Additionally, as Severus Tobias Snape is Heir-Lord Riddle's guardian ad litem, he will be present at_ _ **all**_ _times as long as my client's son is in your presence._

" _Lastly, you are to never exile or forbid either the Riddle house elf or the Malfoy house elf from performing their duties to their charges again. Should you interfere, and it results in the death of one of the house elves, you will be required to repay every galleon the elf was worth. Additionally, you will be assessed punitive damages for the emotional distress suffered by the child to whom the elf belongs. Consider this your_ _ **only**_ _warning, headmaster."_

"Some parts of those memories had occurred outside of Cornelius' view," Dumbledore objected. "Therefore, they are doctored, which makes them false."

"On the contrary, Dumbledore," Amelia snapped. "Cornelius was given Hit Wizard Rowle's memories, which were previously placed in the pensieve, since they needed to blend with his to show the entirety of that day." The headmaster subsided, scowling angrily at the woman.

Mr. Dancere was the next to approach the witness box, and he pulled out the memories he had of the meeting with Black, Lupin and Dumbledore. Everyone was shown the solicitor's memories, mostly focused on Dumbledore's face and reactions during that meeting. They all got to witness as the headmaster, through facial expressions and body language, telegraphed his thoughts for all to see. The memories were returned and Dancere took his place next to his client in the gallery. "We also have a variety of memories, from several people, outlining your persistent slander of both Riddle men." The pensieve was once again presented, and Bones poured a vial of memory into it. It was several minutes long, and once it finished, there was not one single Dumbledore sympathizer in the courtroom. "Finally, we have the memories of Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Moody, and Auror Tonks, outlining your attempts to flee." Those memories were shown, and more than a few people in the gallery chuckled at the unbelievable nerve of the old man. Albus flushed with embarrassed anger.

"The evidence is overwhelmingly clear. Albus Dumbledore, you are hereby sentenced to spend fifty years in Azkaban, in the maximum security wing. Should you survive, you will be required upon parole to report to your parole officer once a week. Additionally, any monies or properties belonging to the Dumbledore clan will be turned over to the Riddles, as compensation for your continued aggressive actions toward them." She banged her gavel, and Dumbledore was escorted from the room, the shock of the sentence still not quite registering with the old man. "Court is adjourned."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** The idea for this chapter was given to me by Stormshadow13. She expressed that she wanted the twins to be part of things, but were too mean and proposed that the tables be turned to make them see what it felt like to be on the receiving end. I agree, so here it is. Thanks, hun.

* * *

 **Sixteen**

Hannah Abbott was in front of Harrison, Draco, and Neville, and she started projectile vomiting as the students were on their way to the Great Hall. She hunched over, grabbing her stomach and moaning between bouts of hurling, before collapsing to the floor on her knees, still hunched over and vomiting. Her face was red and sweaty, her long hair sticking to her face and covered in the mess. Instantly, Harrison and Draco were on either side of the girl, helping her up and to the infirmary, while Neville stayed behind to clean up the mess. In no time, the boys had hustled Hannah through the doors and onto a cot. She was groaning and whimpering, arms still clasped around her belly as she curled into herself. "What's going on here?" the mediwitch snapped, making Harrison jump and squeak in fright. Draco's hand went to the raven's back in comfort while he glared murder at the woman. Harrison was still jittery several weeks after the attempted kidnapping, and Draco had taken to curling up with the boy while they slept, to keep the nightmares at bay.

"Miss Abbott started vomiting," Draco barked. "I don't know why. That's _your_ job."

" _Mister Malfoy_ ," Madame Pomfrey gasped, startled. "There's no need to take that tone with _me_."

"There is if you cannot use your _eyes_ to see that Hannah is obviously _ill_ ," the blond snapped back. He'd been on the sharp end of her tongue too many times to count, all at the courtesy of the damned demon twins of Gryffindor. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only target; ever since the end of the Yule holiday, the twins had been at everyone, but especially Draco, Harrison, and Neville. Encouraged, no doubt, by their thick-headed younger brother. "Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to go to lunch. Unless you _need_ the help of two second year students." With that, he turned and stormed out of the infirmary, Harrison hot on his heels, leaving behind a shocked mediwitch and a quietly whimpering patient.

"Are you all right, Draco?" Harrison asked as they met up with Neville and continued on to lunch.

"No, I bloody well am not," the blond snapped, making the raven flinch back. Seeing the flinch from the corner of his eye, Draco stopped and turned to Harrison, pulling him into a brief hug. "I'm sorry, Harrison. I'm just sick and tired of all these mindlessly cruel pranks. They're _hurting_ these kids. The worst of it, though, is that they just don't seem to _care_."

"Maybe it's not a matter of them not caring," Neville said in a carefully considering voice, as they walked into the Great Hall. McGonagall was in the headmaster's chair, overlooking the Great Hall with a tired expression on her face. Finding out that her mentor and friend had been trying to destroy Harry Potter's happiness took its toll, leaving her nearly catatonic with depression. The three friends went to the Slytherin table and sat down, loading up their plates with food while avoiding anything that resembled the gastronomic pyrotechnics to which they'd had to bear witness. "Maybe it's just that they simply don't _understand_ that they're hurting the kids," Neville continued his train of thought. "They're older than those they humiliate, and they're doing it with impunity because no one can or will take them to task for their behavior. They 'remind' a lot of the teachers here of the Marauders, who, themselves, were permitted to get away with a great many cruelties. No one stood up to your birth father and his friends, and no one will stand up to the twins."

"That's not entirely true," Draco murmured, eyes thoughtful. "I think it's about time we turn the tables on them. Allow them to feel the shame and humiliation the rest of us feel at being victimized by them."

"That's actually a really good idea," Harrison agreed. "Severus was the Marauders' main victim. He should have some ideas on how we can humiliate the twins enough to make them actually _see_ that what they're doing isn't funny; it's vicious and cruel."

"Don't forget your godfather, Harrison," Neville reminded the raven. "He was, after all, a Marauder himself."

* * *

"Okay, they're on their way to that corridor," Harrison whispered as he and Draco stared at the map. They were hunkered down in an alcove near the 'blast zone', and were waiting for the twins to arrive. Severus had worked with them to set up several self-functioning pranks, that reacted when the twins' magical signatures activated them. At first, it was mild; boils in uncomfortable places, spontaneous barking in the middle of a class, hair flashing through several different shades of neon colors as they entered the Great Hall. All incurred laughter from the general student body, with some students expressing a sort of vindictive pleasure that their tormentors were getting a taste of their own medicine. It didn't seem to stop the twins from playing their pranks, though, so Harrison, Neville, Draco and Severus gradually ramped up the cruelty and humiliation factor. Several times, they'd heard the boys mumbling something about pissing off a god in another life, but it never seemed to occur to them that, perhaps, karma really _was_ a bitch.

This prank, however, would be the cruelest, most humiliating one that the group could manage. It was one of the worst pranks played on Severus, and it still brought back horrible memories. It also nearly cost him his friendship with Lily. He'd very nearly called her a 'mudblood' when she offered to help him, drowning in his humiliation as he was, but Lucius' glaring eyes had made him bite his tongue viciously to keep that word behind his lips. As the twins approached the booby trapped corridor, Neville intercepted the students behind them, holding them back so that they wouldn't incur any backlash as the prank was tripped. In no time, the twins were hanging upside down, their robes over their heads and their underpants showing. They were holding the cloth away from their faces, trying to find the one who'd pranked them so cleanly. One twin wore green and silver boxers, with capering snakes twining around the crotch area. The other wore pale pink boxers, festooned with daisies and butterflies. There was dead silence for a moment, except for the cursing of the twins as they spun slowly in the air, eyes scanning for a guilty party. Then it began. First was a slight giggle, followed by several snorts of suppressed laughter, before, like a tidal wave, laughter and jeering washed over the humiliated twins. They hung there for several minutes, and the sounds of hilarity attracted more and more students, until nearly every pupil, as well as several teachers, were standing around the corridor, laughing until tears fell.

"All right! All right! What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall barked as she pushed her way through the students. She stopped dead, aghast, as she stared at the suspended twins. "Who did this?" she snarled loudly, angered on behalf of her lions. "Who would be so cruel as to pull this humiliating of a prank?"

"Minerva," Severus nodded to the older witch. "Do you not recognize this prank? After all, it is the same one your precious _Marauders_ played, and frequently."

"Nonsense, Severus," the woman snapped, glaring at the Potions Master venomously. "The Marauders would never have been this cruel."

"Really, Minnie?" Remus queried from behind the woman, startling her badly. She spun and stared at the younger man, shocked to see him looking better than he'd ever had. He'd come to the school to offer his help in getting the prank set up so that it would activate the way it was supposed to. "Speaking as one of the Marauders, James and Sirius would play this prank on people _all the time_. This was one of their _favorites_ , because it caused maximum humiliation and embarrassment. _This_ prank was only second to the final one they pulled on Severus, wherein Sirius convinced Sev to come to the Shrieking Shack on the night of the full moon." The headmistress' eyes widened in shock and comprehension as she stared at the werewolf. "Yes, Minnie. I was fully transformed at the time, _without_ wolfsbane. It was by virtue of Lucius Malfoy's intervention that Severus is alive today."

"I…I had no idea," she murmured faintly, stunned.

"No; you didn't _want_ to know. Any time a student came to you to complain about the Marauders, you turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to their torment. You and Albus _encouraged_ their viciousness, just as you encourage the twins' viciousness." Remus turned to the still suspended twins, smirking malevolently. "You boys are getting just what you deserve. How does it feel, hmm? The embarrassment. The humiliation. How does it feel to be helpless in the face of your attackers? Do you think you can remember that the little _children_ you've been abusing feel the same way?" Raising his wand, he lowered the twins to the floor, where they quickly scrambled to their feet to cover their unmentionables. "Remember, these children have the mind of a _Marauder_ behind them. Keep tormenting and torturing them, and I'll pull out some of the _worst_ pranks Sirius and James had _ever_ created. _Are we clear?_ "

"Y-yes, Mr. Lupin. We understand."

* * *

"Professor Snape?" Fred asked quietly, eyes on the floor. His brother stood slightly behind and to the left of him, eyes also on the floor.

"Misters Weasley," the Potions Master intoned. "How may I help you?"

"We…we would like to apologize to Harrison Riddle, Draco Malfoy and Neville Longbottom," George replied. "We've already gone through the rest of the first year and second year students. We wanted to leave those three for last, because we'd like to talk to them, if they're interested."

"Realize that Lucius Malfoy and Tom Riddle will be present at this meeting," Severus told them, eyes narrowed speculatively. "I will also be present on behalf of Neville Longbottom."

"We understand," Fred agreed. "We don't blame you. We've been particularly cruel to those three, and for no good reason. They were easy prey, and ickle Won-Won made it seem like a good idea. He thought that if we humiliated Heir-Lord Riddle and Heir-Lord Longbottom enough, they'd come running back to the tower just to make the abuse stop. It never occurred to us that both boys had _already_ suffered under some form of abuse, and were a whole lot stronger than we'd anticipated."

"Just _how_ did you come by that information?" Severus asked coldly. The twins winced at the tone, ashamed once again at how much they'd abused the children. They also understood the Potions Master's anger on behalf of his charges; he had included Neville as one of his own since the tutoring sessions had changed his views of the reticent boy. The twins almost _envied_ Harrison, Draco and Neville for earning the love and respect of such a highly regarded and cautious man.

"We…we had a long talk with Mr. Lupin," George replied softly. "He…he _told_ us things about the Marauders. Things that weren't very nice. We…we asked why Harry Potter would want to be adopted, instead of being with his godfather, and he t-told us about Harrison's home life before Lord Riddle rescued him. H-he also told us about Black's attempted kidnapping, at the encouragement of the headmaster. It made us feel lower than _dirt_ to realize that we were modeling ourselves after such abusive jackasses."

"I see," the Potions Master murmured, thinking. "Harrison, Draco, and Neville go to Harrison's home every weekend. If you wish, you may join us there. I will inform Lucius of your arrival, should you decide you'd like to come."

"Yes, sir," both answered at once. "We'd like to be there."

* * *

"Welcome to my home," Tom intoned, ruby eyes steady on the redheads. "You are here under _my_ hospitality. Abuse that, and you will wish you were never born. _Do you understand?_ "

"Y-yes, sir," the twins muttered, wincing at the hardened glare from blood colored eyes. "W-we won't be any trouble," Fred continued for them. "We're here to honestly apologize to the boys and to ask them some questions, if that's okay."

"Fine. We will adjourn to my den. The boys, Lucius and Severus are already waiting." Turning, Tom strode away, expecting the twins to follow. He heard the frantic scrambling behind him, and smirked. _This will be interesting,_ he mused as he opened the door to the den. _I'll just observe for now and step in if it gets to be too much for Harrison, or if the twins decide to do something truly deplorable._ "Welcome, Misters Weasley," Lucius murmured as he stood, bowing his head courteously. "Please have a seat. We shall have a house elf provide refreshments momentarily." The twins sat on a divan, while Draco, Harrison and Neville sat on a sofa. Tom took his seat behind his desk, watching everyone closely. Severus and Lucius took the chairs to either side of the fireplace. Sandie popped in with a tray loaded with food and beverages, setting it down on the low coffee table. She glared venomously at the Weasleys, making them shudder at the look of death in her eyes, before she turned a sweet smile on her charge, then popped away.

"I love your elf," Draco said with a bubble of laughter.

"Agreed," Neville chuckled.

"Fred. George. Severus tells me that you wish to apologize to us," Harrison began the conversation, looking guardedly at the twins. They flinched at the closed off expression, remembering Harry Potter as friendly and quick to smile. His reticence now said a lot about their behavior toward him, making them feel ashamed once again.

"We're sorry, Harrison, Draco, Neville," George began, eyes sad. "We never meant to humiliate or embarrass you. It's just…well…with so many kids in the family, it's hard to stand out; to be noticed. Bill and Charlie get attention because of their prestigious jobs. Bill is also a bit of a rebel; he likes his hair long and he has a fang earring. Percy is simply _perfect._ The standard to which we all must achieve. Ginny is the only girl, so she gets preferential treatment. Or, well, she _did_ , until she tried to entrap you with potions. Sorry about that, Harrison. When Ron told us about it, we were shocked. Admittedly, our pranks were cruel, and humiliating, but we'd never go _that_ far. To try and ensnare someone against their will? And for what? To try and lure you back to the tower?

"You're much better off where you are. We never noticed how _different_ from the rest of us you and Neville were. You both have courage in _spades_ to be able to put up with us badgering and hounding you. However, the both of you are also quiet and reserved. Respectful and considerate. Smart as hell, too, when you're allowed to show it. Honestly, Ravenclaw suits the both of you. We're rather surprised that you'd end up in Slytherin, Harrison. Anyway, we never meant to make you feel uncomfortable and afraid in your own common room."

"Thank you, Gred, Forge," Neville replied with a small smirk. "We appreciate the apology, though you didn't say much to Draco."

"I noticed that, too," Harrison chimed in. "Why is that, I wonder?"

"We, um, we have a bit more groveling to do to Malfoy. You see, we'd been raised with a distinct bias against Slytherin, but especially against anyone Malfoy. We'd been told since we were little that Slytherins are all bad, evil, Death Eaters in training. From the way our mum and dad talked, it seemed like there could be nothing _but_ nasty coming from Slytherin House. But the Malfoys gained quite a bit more venom. We never really understood _why_ ; we just knew that we could never be friends with a Malfoy. They were back-stabbing snakes in the grass, no pun intended. It wasn't until we really _looked_ at Draco these past few days, while we were groveling to the rest of the first and second years, that we realized that our parents were _wrong_. That Slytherins in general, but Malfoys specifically, are not evil incarnate."

"While I appreciate the change of heart," Lucius interrupted, "make no mistake. Malfoys and Weasleys will _never_ be friends. Too much bad blood between us, and it all started with Septimus Weasley and his unholy passion for _muggles_."

"Yeah, we've heard about Granddad Septimus and Grandmum Cedrella," George replied with a moue of distaste. "Honestly? I don't understand why they felt they needed to get that close to muggles. Granted, we're all human beings, first and foremost, but they don't have _magic_. They've got to be frightfully _boring._ Leading mundane lives. How can they stand not having _magic?_ "

"It's easy," Harrison said with a burble of laughter at the twins' looks of astonishment. "You can't miss what you've never had. Since they've never experienced magic in any form, except for the performers who are skilled at illusion, they don't have any concept of what it's like to live with it. After all, _you_ are having a hard time imagining life _without_ your magic, because you've never lived like that. We live in a world where everything around us is _saturated_ with power. It's in the air, the water, the earth. It's in _us_. It's something we've taken for granted, because it's _always there_. How do you think we'd manage if, suddenly, magic just _disappeared_. No more instant _anything_ at the flick of a wand. We'd have to get _ordinary jobs_ to earn our pay. We'd have to actually _buy_ everything we need, instead of conjuring or transfiguring it. And," the raven smirked evilly, " we'd have to do our own _cooking_ , and _cleaning_ , and _shopping_. Imagine, never having anything at your beck and call with a simple snap of your fingers."

" _Gah!_ " Fred cried dramatically, flinging his hands over his eyes at the horrific images traipsing through his mind. Harrison laughed uproariously, joined moments later by Severus and Tom. Draco, Neville and Lucius were all looking at the Riddle heir with horrified shock at the words that had spewed from his mouth.

"How is it you can say that with a straight face?" Draco asked incredulously. "I'd simply _die_ if I couldn't have my house elves."

"Remember, Draco, I _was_ a house elf for my family," Harrison snarked a little bitterly. "Doing for myself would be absolutely no problem. I'd lived without magic for nearly ten years. If I'd never come to Hogwarts, I would've blissfully, or not so blissfully, continued on doing my muggle thing. Though it would be difficult to show the muggles how magicals live, since they tend to scare easily, magicals _should_ have a functioning understanding of how _muggles_ live. You never know. One day, the magic may just die off."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** buterflypuss reminded me that I neglected to include a very important character: Hedwig. I've corrected that oversight in this chapter; however, it wasn't in the way that she was hoping. Sorry about forgetting about her, and about how I've worked her into the story. It just wanted to be written that way. As well, I won't be able to access internet with any regularity for a while, so I'll post three chapters to keep you amused.

* * *

 **Seventeen**

"That might not be a bad project for us to have for the summer," Tom remarked into the stiff silence. Everyone turned to him curiously, still mulling over what Harrison had said. "I think we all should take a month during the holiday and spend it in a _muggle_ city. We'll rent a large house, and we will endeavor to live like muggles for that month. To that end, I will take our wands and lock them up safely here. At least _three_ of us know how to live and act like muggles. We'll help the rest of you."

"Absolutely not," Lucius bit out angrily. "I _refuse_ to go anywhere _near_ the muggle world. I will _not_ lower myself to live amongst beings that are _beneath_ me."

"Lucius," Tom hissed, ruby eyes glowing angrily. "You _will_ be joining us. I wish to knock that muggle bias out of you once and for all. You need to _understand them_ so that you can be an effective Minister of Magic. You cannot fairly govern the wizarding world if you do not understand why muggleborns behave the way they do. I want the magical world to be unhindered by bias and prejudice. There's enough of that _outside_ our borders. We do not need to perpetuate it _in our own world_."

"You…you want me to be _Minister?_ " Lucius gasped, eyes wide. The shock on his face was priceless, and Harrison and Draco giggled madly at it.

"Yes, Lucius, I do. You have been raised around the political machine. I have not. I was raised in the muggle world, and understand how the muggle world functions. I have no earthly _idea_ how to manage the magical world. I need someone whose background makes him savvy for the role. Besides, I will still be behind the scenes, making _suggestions_ as needed."

"So…so I _won't_ be Minister. Not really."

"Yes, Lucius, you _will_. We will be a committee, where each of us will put forth ideas, and they will be discussed until we arrive at a suitable solution. Fudge is incapable of adequately using the advice he's given. As well, most of the advice he'd received was from the former headmaster."

" _Thank_ you, Tom" Lucius breathed, eyes bright with ambition. "I will not fail you."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Riddle replied. "The only one I trust more than you, is Severus. However, since he will be my bonded mate on Harrison's birthday, I do not wish to share him like that." The dour Potions Master blushed at the possessiveness in his mate's voice. "Besides, Severus is entirely unsuitable for such a role; he's much too snarky and mean."

"May I say congratulations, Tom," Lucius said with laughter in his voice, "thank you for your faith in me, and I couldn't agree more."

* * *

"So, why did you want to speak to us privately?" Harrison asked the twins. They had left the adults plotting in Tom's den, and had gone to the library to talk.

"We…we would like to be a part of things," Fred murmured, blushing. "We've seen and heard about all the changes your father is making in the Ministry through Lucius, and we want to be part of that progress."

"What can you offer, besides pranks?" Draco asked haughtily. He wasn't sure if he wanted the demon twins of Gryffindor involved in _anything_ they did. Harrison understood the blond's caution, giving him a grateful look.

"We can offer you insider information," George said firmly. "Because our father is in the Ministry, and fairly high up at that, he comes home with all sorts of news and plans. He even talks about the bills he tries to get passed through the Wizengamot. We will be able to provide you with a heads-up whenever Dad wants to meddle with the status quo. To start things off, he's been going on about a bill he and some of the others who work with him have drafted, which proposes opening our borders to the muggle world, so that we may integrate more fully with them."

"Is he _daft_?" Draco asked incredulously, not doubting for a moment that the information was factual.

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," Fred muttered, face red. "I will, however, admit that he's been infected with the same muggle fascination that Granddad Septimus exhibited. He's even taken to charming muggle artifacts he finds here and there, making them do things I _know_ the muggles would've never thought of."

"Does your father know any muggles?" Harrison asked quietly.

"Not…not _really_ ," Fred replied, thinking. "The only muggle we _know_ of is one of mum's cousins. He works as an accountant in the muggle world, whatever _that_ is. I don't think he's a _true_ muggle. I _think_ he's a squib, but went to the muggle world because he couldn't bear to be surrounded by the magic he was born to, but couldn't use."

"That is completely understandable," Neville chimed in. Up to now, he'd remained silent, observing the twins and forming his own opinions on their usefulness. "Just think of how hard it is for _Filch_ , working in the school and surrounded by all that magic, yet unable to use _any_ of it. It actually explains why he's so _angry_ and _hateful_ all the time. I guess he hated the idea of being in the muggle world _more_ than he hated the idea of being surrounded by power he had no access to."

"I couldn't do it," Harrison murmured softly. "I couldn't stand to be around those who had something that, by rights, should have been mine as well, but wasn't. It would've driven me spare."

"Me, too," Draco agreed. "I couldn't bear the _shame_ my father would've felt, had I not been magical. To be forever considered _less_ …I would've killed myself before I lived like that."

"Are you going to continue the pranks?" the question came from the doorway, startling the children out of their introspective silence. Turning, they saw Severus, Lucius and Tom standing there, watching the group with closed off expressions.

"N-no, sir," the twins answered simultaneously. "We promise. We would like to continue developing our pranks, but we won't be using them indiscriminately anymore. We'll get volunteers to test them for us, and use the information we get from them to tweak the jokes as needed. We really never intended to hurt or humiliate anyone; we were just trying to have some fun."

"Very good," Tom replied, a small smile breaking through the stony mask. "If you can keep to that promise, then perhaps, once you've graduated, you and I can have a talk about your _futures_."

* * *

"Harrison?" Fred queried during a meeting in Severus' chambers. They were there to discuss the latest information about Arthur's progress on the bills he was trying to push through the Wizengamot. He had gained some headway, with Dumbledore backing his proposals, but all that fell by the wayside once the ex-headmaster had been incarcerated.

"Yes, Fred?" the raven answered absently. He was trying to get a handle on some of the new work given to him by Barty Crouch, Jr., one of his 'neutral' tutors. Now that Dumbledore was no longer around, the tutors were given carte blanch to teach Harrison anything, as long as it wasn't _too_ dark.

"I've noticed that Hedwig hasn't been around. What happened? Where is she?" The preteen's eyes darkened and tears shimmered in his lashes. Instantly, Draco was by his side, pulling him into a one-armed hug. He answered for his friend as Harrison leaned his head on the blond's shoulder, savoring the comfort.

"Dursley butchered her as soon as Harrison returned after first year. He snapped her neck right in front of him, then tossed her in a trash bin and set her on fire."

" _What? Why?"_ the twins asked incredulously.

"Because he knew how much I loved her," Harrison answered, voice thick with tears. He shuddered at the memory of the ignoble, vicious death of his closest confidant. He'd told her _everything_ , and she would groom his hair, as if in understanding, and offering the only comfort she could. "She was my first and best friend, and he took her away because he _could_." Out of everything that had been done to him, that one act of vicious cruelty made him hate his relatives with an unholy fire. He could ignore the insults; he could push away the pain from the abuse; he could even laugh off the starvation. The one thing he would never forgive, however, was the murder of his best friend. The reason he didn't want his dad to punish them any more than he'd already had wasn't because Harrison was a forgiving soul. No; the reason he didn't want Tom to do anything more to them was because _he_ wanted to be the one to end their pathetic existences. He'd been brewing plans since her death, and with the twins now on their side, he was closer than ever to obtaining his righteous revenge.

"We're sorry, mate," George finally said. "We know how much she meant to you, and she was one of the most beautiful creatures I'd ever seen. She was also so much smarter than the average owl." The younger twin hesitated for a moment, not sure how the raven would take his next words. "Are…are you going to get another owl?"

"No," Harrison rasped, barely holding on to his rage and grief. "That…that would be like replacing Draco with someone substandard. No other owl would _ever_ be able to take the place of my beloved Hedwig." The blond blushed at the comparison, inordinately pleased that his friend felt that much devotion for him.

"Thanks, Harrison," Malfoy murmured. "I love you too."

* * *

"Moony?" Harrison said hesitantly one fine April day. His lessons with the tutors were coming along swimmingly, and his magical skills were advancing by leaps and bounds. His magic finally felt calm and relaxed, now that he wasn't battling against the allergy. They were, once again, home for the weekend; Tom had convinced the Ministry to allow Remus to take the place of Binns for History of Magic for Harrison's third year, with the ghost to be sent on after the school year was finished. With Riddle in place as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Harrison's, Draco's and Neville's protection would be assured.

"Yes, Harrison?" The werewolf was healthier and happier than he'd _ever_ been. He was able to be with his cub, and was learning what _true_ friendship was. Tom, Severus and Lucius all respected Lupin, and treated him like a valued member of their extended family. It was something to which he'd never really been exposed, and he was flourishing under the positive attentions.

"Can…can we talk?" the raven queried softly, hesitantly. Remus' eyes narrowed at the anxiety he saw in his godson's face, and knew that this talk would most likely be painful for the both of them.

"Of course," the man replied, stepping back and allowing the child into his suite of rooms in the Keep. He closed the door and they went to the seating area, where Remus called for refreshments. Once they had been delivered and served, godfather and godson sat in uncomfortable silence, before Harrison finally took a deep breath and asked his first question.

"Did…did M-Mum really love me?"

"Of _course_ she did," Remus gasped, eyes wide. "Why would you ask that?"

"Be-because she _left_ me, and I can't help but wonder if she let F-Father kill her t-to get away from J-James' abuse." Harrison rarely referred to his birth father by anything but his given name, feeling less and less like James Potter's son with every bit he'd learned about the man.

"Oh, _Harrison_ ," Remus murmured sorrowfully. "I had no _idea_ you were feeling like this. I never intended for the things I shared with you about James to make you feel _unloved_."

"S'not your fault," the boy mumbled. "I _did_ ask the questions, after all."

"You did," the wolf concurred softly, "but the way I answered them should have been better worded." Remus hesitated for a moment, before deciding that the full truth needed to be shared. "Your mother loved you very much. She had no qualms about going into hiding to protect you. She _did_ have her suspicions about Albus, but without concrete proof, she couldn't really do anything. James was entirely devoted to the old man and trusted him implicitly. As we both know, Lily couldn't go against her husband. So, when you all were hidden behind the _Fidelius_ , she began researching better protective spells.

"She was willing to do _anything_ to see to your safety. So, one day while James was out, she owled Lucius, asking him for information regarding protective spells and rituals. She didn't care if they were Dark or Light; as long as they kept you safe, that was all that mattered to her. Unfortunately, by that time, she had given up on any idea of her own happiness. James had driven any spark of life out of your mum, so her sole focus was you. When your father came to the house to kill you, she had no qualms about sacrificing herself for you. Most of it was to ensure your safety and survival. I'm not going to lie, however; I know that a very small part of her was relieved that she wouldn't have to be subjected to the hell of being trapped with James for the rest of her life."

"But James was dead by that time," Harrison murmured, tears in his eyes. "She could've stepped aside and saved herself. She would still be with me then."

"No, she wouldn't, cub," Remus answered softly, pulling his godson into his arms and cuddling him close as he cried. "The willing sacrifice of her life was required to make the ritual to protect you work. If she had stepped aside, you _would have died_. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself if you had died. I'm sure that she would have killed herself, rather than live without you. She _did_ love you, more than you will ever know. And, despite his obnoxious personality, James loved you, too. He was so very _proud_ that he had a son, to carry on his name."

"I'm not a Potter anymore," Harrison mumbled angrily. "So the Potter name died with _him_."

* * *

The letter that was placed in the raven's hands shocked him. He looked up at Severus curiously, and was surprised to see sorrow in the man's ebon eyes. "She left that with me just before James took the both of you away. In spite of Black's attempt to kill me, she still maintained her friendships with both Lucius and I, although she had to do it in secret, through correspondence. She made us promise not to tell anyone of our interactions; she was afraid that word would somehow get back to James, and he would do something violent. She…she told me to give that to you, should you ever wonder whether she loved you or not. Remus told me of your conversation, so I thought now would be a suitable time for you to have that."

"Thank you, Severus," the child murmured, sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace in Severus' personal quarters. Draco sat beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders in comfort. Harrison leaned into the comfort, staring at the envelope for a moment before cracking the wax seal and pulling the enclosed parchment out. He tilted it so that Draco could read it, as well.

 _Harry,_

 _If you're reading this, it means that I am gone. I am sorry that I had to leave you like this, but it was unavoidable. Just know that I love you with everything that I am, and my sacrifice was necessary for your survival._

 _You will be faced with a great many challenges in the coming years, and for that, I wish I could be there to guide and help you. However, I know that Severus and Lucius will be there for you, so do not hesitate to avail yourself of their assistance when you need it most. I've…_ _ **Seen**_ _…things that have confused me, but, in the end, what I've Seen most is your happiness, and a peace that I've never known. You will find this peace, not with Albus Dumbledore and his goals, but through an unexpected source. The choices you make will change your life, and the lives of every witch and wizard in the wizarding world. Through you, changes will be made that will alter the face of the wizarding world for all time. Those choices you make will be hard, I know, but they will bring you a happiness that you never would have known, had your father and I survived that night._

 _I am very proud of you, Harry. Please believe that. You will know the truth, about yourself and your father. I have instructed Severus and Remus to tell you_ _ **everything**_ _about James and Sirius. I don't want you to have any sort of blinders on; you_ _ **need**_ _to know in whom you can place implicit trust. Sirius Black was named your godfather against my protests. In that, I had no voice, but I_ _ **do**_ _know that he will not be able to influence you in any way. He and James are cut from the same cloth; both spoilt, arrogant bullies who thought little of treating others as if they had no_ _ **right**_ _to exist. Your allies and friends will not allow you to lose yourself to your anger and bitterness at the suffering you must face. I wish I could do something to help you avoid that suffering; unfortunately, it will be necessary so that you may grow into the kind of man who will take others' opinions, ideas and feelings into consideration._

 _Please know that Severus is an honorable man. He may put up a front of icy disdain, but that is to keep his true self protected, both from the world and the headmaster. He was the best friend I'd ever had, and I loved him dearly. I was heartbroken when I couldn't see or talk to him again, but it will all work out in the end. He will be your strongest defender and ally, and, if what I've Seen is any indication, he will be better than a father to you. I'm glad for that; both you and he will need each other in the coming years._

 _I know that a lot of this letter will not make sense to you right now, but believe me, it will come to you in the fullness of time. If there was any other way to accomplish what I've Seen, I would have taken it without a second thought. You were the one bright, shining light in my life, and I will always be proud of you, no matter what choices you make, nor what direction you take. I love you so much, and I will always be watching._

 _Mum_

With tears in his eyes, he folded the parchment and put it back into the envelope. He then stood and handed it to Severus. "Thank you, Dad," the raven murmured, surprising a smile from the Potions Master. "I needed to know that. You may read it, if you wish. She'd written about you, as well."

* * *

"Hey, Father?" Harrison approached his dad toward the end of May.

"Yes, Harrison?"

"What do you plan to do with Black's properties? I mean, I know that the monies had gone into our vaults, but what are you going to do with the manor houses?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking. Since Remus willingly left his 'mate' to stand with us, I bet he'd like to have money and property that he could rightly call his _own_. After all, since his family _abandoned_ him when he was turned, it's only right that his _new_ family take care of him. Don't you think so?"

"Actually, that's a pretty good idea, Harrison," his father replied with a small smile. "What did you have in mind?"

"I think we should give him half of the money, since we really don't _need_ it, and a couple of the properties. As compensation for suffering under James' and Sirius' mockery and abuse for as long as he had."

"Okay," Tom said ruminatively. "How about, as you said, half of Black's vaults, and…let's see…Grimmauld Place and…hmm…that manor at the edge of the Forest of Dean. Sound fair?"

"Perfect," Harrison chirped happily, rushing to his father for a hug.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** I know that this is a recurring theme in some of my stories, but it always bears repeating. Though I am an atheist, I understand the value of belief systems in helping people cope with their daily lives. For most people, believing in something greater helps them explain how and why the world works. I get that. I don't want anyone ripping into me for what is said in this chapter; Harrison has fully accepted and integrated the traditions and beliefs of his world, and has eschewed those outside the wizarding world. It is from that perspective that this chapter is written. I do not mean to offend, though I surely will. Religion is a very sensitive subject for most, and any slight to their beliefs tends to be met with hostility. Just don't come crying to me when you finish the chapter. You have been warned.

* * *

 **Eighteen**

Remus stepped through the front door of Grimmauld Place, pockets weighed down with shrunken packages and parcels. He had happily accepted both the money and the properties from Tom Riddle, unbelievably touched at the thoughtfulness of people he was told were evil incarnate. Yet, it was the scions of the _Light_ that perpetrated the most painful betrayals. As soon as he started unloading his purchases, Reeses and Skelley popped in, smiling widely at the werewolf. "Master Wolfie sir!" Skelley chirped happily. "You is being back! Welcome home, Master Wolfie sir!"

"We is being happy that you is being back," Reeses added more calmly. "Bad former master Black was being bad! He was being planning on playing nasty, evil pranks on Master Wolfie sir and Master Wolfie sir's family."

"Thank you," Remus said with laughter in his voice. "Please call me Remus, and I'm glad that you decided to stay with me."

"We is liking Master Remus," Skelley burbled. "Master Remus is being treating us like we is being important."

"You _are_ important," the werewolf insisted heatedly. "I would not be able to manage this place without you. Besides, I would _miss_ you. I'd grown very fond of the both of you while I waited for Sirius to get better."

"We is being helping you with the packages," Reeses said, nodding at the small pile of shrunken goodies, ignoring the sentiments expressed. They were still young elves, newly purchased, and were not sure what was expected of them as far as personal interactions went. So they figured to adopt a 'wait and see' attitude, the advice from some of the older elves still ringing in their ears.

Nodding, Remus sorted through the supplies, dividing them up by room. The elves then transported the goods to each room, enlarging and rearranging them to suit the space. Remus strode into the drawing room when he finished and instantly vanished the images of the stag and wolfhound from the walls, leaving behind the wolf and lilies. The subtraction of the extra images allowed the color of the walls to shine through more fully, which allowed the decorations to appear more tasteful and refined. He finished as the elves popped back into the room, awaiting his instructions.

"I want you to gather everything that belonged to Sirius Black and get rid of it. Take the goods to a donation center or burn them. I don't care, as long as they are _out_ of here." Nodding, the elves immediately got busy, clearing out clothes, grooming products, personal items, games, prank items, diaries, photographs, portraits, and all the other minutiae that made up Sirius Black's life. Once everything was boxed, the elves took the usable items to donation centers, and burned the photos, diaries, and portraits. A few more adjustments, and it looked as if Black had never set foot in Grimmauld Place.

* * *

It was mid-June before Remus was able to get to the Ministry to fill out the final paperwork for his job as History of Magic professor. He was contacted by Riddle, and had agreed to go with Lucius and Tom; Riddle needed to fill out the paperwork for his tenure as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, so he figured that he and the werewolf could do it together. It was while they were in Fudge's office, discussing the best way to exorcise Binns, that Thorfinn Rowle stepped into the room to speak with the Minister about a particularly difficult case. Blue eyes met amber, and sparks flew as both Rowle and Lupin tuned out everyone and everything else, stunned at the flare of attraction that had blossomed between them. Tom grinned, glad that one of his best spies and associates was finding a kindred spirit in his son's godfather. A throat clearing had both men jumping, startled. "Did you need something, Rowle?" the Minister asked softly, an amused gleam in his eye.

"Er, yes, sir. We're having issues with Fenrir Greyback and his rogue werewolf pack. It seems that he's been turning children against their will for the last few years. I'm not sure how we're supposed to handle this."

"Greyback?" Remus growled, a feral gleam in his eye. At the large blond's nod, a snarl grew across Lupin's face. "He's the one that turned _me_. Let me finish with this paperwork, and we'll go to your office. I believe I may be able to help you with this particular problem."

"Thank you," Thorfinn sighed, a small smile on his face. He stuck out his hand. "I am Thorfinn Rowle, Hit Wizard."

"Remus Lupin," the werewolf responded, grasping the other man's hand. "Soon-to-be History of Magic professor at Hogwarts."

"That's _excellent_ news," Rowle remarked with a wide smile. "I remember Binns. I'm surprised _anyone_ graduated, with him as a professor." Remus signed the last two pages quickly, then the two men left the office together, chatting amiably.

"That's good to see," Lucius murmured. "Thorfinn has been alone for far too long."

"Agreed," Tom murmured as he finished up his paperwork. "He and Lupin will be good together."

* * *

"Harry!" came a strident voice from behind the small group of students, which consisted of Harrison, Draco, Neville, the twins and Luna, who had joined them after Yule. The raven flinched and sighed heavily, turning to face the muggleborn.

"That's it," he barked, glaring at the moronic witch. "I've had enough." He pulled out a two way mirror and touched the surface. "Mr. Dancere," he murmured, to the delight of his friends. The mirror glowed for a moment before his solicitor's face appeared.

"What may I do for you today, Heir-Lord Riddle?"

"I am hereby invoking my right, as Heir-Lord, to enact punishments to those who continue to slander me. From this moment on, you will withdraw one galleon from each and every person who does not call me by my proper name, or who insists on calling me The Boy Who Lived, or the Savior of the wizarding world, or the Chosen One. That will also include every newspaper which insists on printing those labels, as well as the reporters who write the stories containing those labels. In addition, I want you to assess a punitive amount of ten galleons to every reporter who chooses to print any and all lies about my affiliations, my associations, or my personal matters. On your mark, I will touch the lapel pin I wear, which will alert you to every verbal instance of slander. I am sure that you'll be able to discern the printed slander for yourself. Moreover, I wish for the first punishment to occur immediately. You will contact Miss Granger's parents and inform them of their daughter's crime, and assess them the sum of five pounds."

"Consider it done," Dancere said with a wicked gleam in his eye. The solicitor nodded his signal, and Harrison whispered " _Adimo_ " as he touched the gem on his lapel pin, causing the jewel on the end of the lapel pin to glow for a moment.

"Thank you." Harrison deactivated the mirror and put it away, looking at the confused muggleborn with a smirk. "For your slander, you will be assessed a punitive sum of one galleon. Since you do not have any actual wizarding money of your own, my solicitor will send out an owl to your parents, instructing them to forfeit the sum of five pounds, which will go into my vault as soon as he has received it."

"What do you mean, slander?" she snapped angrily.

"My name is _not_ Harry Potter. I _am not_ the Savior of the wizarding world. I _am not_ the Boy Who Lived. I _am not_ the Chosen One. I will no longer accept being called by those appellations. Those who persist in slandering me in such a way will automatically be assessed punitive damages, until everyone gets the hint that _I AM HARRISON SALAZAR RIDDLE!_ Now, what did you want?" Shaken, Hermione tried to gather her thoughts.

"Why did you have the headmaster arrested?" she inquired more calmly than she felt. She figured to leave off any address, for fear of incurring additional monetary punishments.

"You _do_ know how to read, right, Granger?" Neville asked, smirking. At the girl's flush, he continued. "After all, every newspaper worth anything has printed out the trials verbatim. All you need to do is request copies of those papers and read for yourself why the headmaster has been incarcerated."

"I _know_ why professor Dumbledore was put in Azkaban. I want to know _why_ Harr-Riddle _wanted_ him arrested." She turned burning eyes to her former friend, ignoring the warning in his eyes as she continued to harangue him. "What _right_ do you have to arrest the _greatest wizard of our time_? Just _who do you think you are,_ Harry? Just because you're the Boy Who Lived, doesn't give you the right to wield your power so thoughtlessly or so cruelly. I'm _positive_ that professor Dumbledore hasn't done _anything_ to warrant such betrayal from you, except perhaps not giving in to your selfish demands." By the time she had finished her rather loud rant, the halls were deathly silent, every eye of every student on the muggleborn in shock.

"That's another fifteen pounds from your parents' accounts," the raven said softly; dangerously. "In addition, I believe I will contact my solicitor and see if there is any way that I can have you permanently barred from Hogwarts." Hermione's eyes widened in shock as she went back over what she had just said, positive that she hadn't erred in any way. "I have no qualms whatsoever with the muggleborn students," he continued, looking at those that were in the crowd with a friendly smile. "Most of them are willing to set aside their preconceived notions of what our world is supposed to be like, and are willing to _learn_ how to navigate these very different waters. They bring fresh blood and fresh magic, from long dead lines, to refresh our world and keep it strong. _However_ ," he turned his gaze back on the know-it-all in front of him, and the coldness in his eyes had her flinching back, aghast, at the complete _indifference_ toward her that she saw in their depths, "there are those who, for some reason only known to _them_ , believe themselves to be _above_ everyone. They believe that, because they're _so brilliant; so talented_ , there should be _exceptions_ made, _just for them_. They believe that their brilliance will be what will _make the wizarding world better_. They believe that they will be the ones to _drag the wizarding world out of the Dark ages_.

"Never mind that _we love our world just the way it is_. Never mind that our _traditions and rituals_ have _meaning_ to us. That they are _important_ for the continued survival of our world. That tossing those traditions and rituals aside _insult the gods and goddesses who actually_ _ **granted**_ _us this gift_. Our rituals, our traditions, pull us together as a united world. We are _one_ ; one people, one community, one _world_. Bound together by a common thread; our magic. It matters not what language we use to cast our spells. It only matters that the magic responds in the same way, for every single witch and wizard alive today. To have muggleborns like _you_ , spitting on our way of life; our very _existence_ ; is an insult that I will tolerate no longer. My father is, at this moment, working through the Ministry to set up magical primary schools, to educate the muggleborns and halfbloods raised outside our borders on their magical heritage. They are to be taught our traditions and rituals, and the meanings behind them. We cannot survive as a society with the rampant ignorance of those who come to us from _outside_. It's _beyond time_ we started _taking care of our own_."

"B-but, I'm one of your own," Hermione stammered, tears in her eyes. "You don't want to take care of _me_."

"That's because you stubbornly refuse to listen to us when we tell you how things _are_ here," Draco said into the silence. More than a few watching students nodded their agreement; even the other muggleborns agreed with Harrison's words. They'd been on the receiving end of lectures, by Hermione, on keeping their muggle culture alive in the wizarding world. No matter how many times they'd tried to tell her that they weren't _in_ the muggle world, she still persisted with her ideas that the wizarding world become more _muggle_. Even _Creevey_ , who had to be taught about the Statute of Secrecy and its purpose, understood what the pureblood witches and wizards were trying to say. He _agreed_ with it; both Colin and Dennis had been on the receiving end of bullying by some muggles who had caught them using their magic. They'd had to move from that city, afraid that someone would come and take them away. "You keep insisting that our world adapt to the _muggleborns_ , instead of you adapting to _us_. You wouldn't expect the _muggle_ world to change itself to suit _us._ Why should _we_ be expected to do that for _you_?"

"It's not a matter of refusing to adapt some of the muggle technologies to our world," Harrison continued, as he knew what she would have said next. "I freely admit, we need to accept some of your technologies, such as computers and phones. Perhaps even televisions and motion pictures. Accepting these advances will open our world up to a wider variety of opportunities for employment, and will make communicating easier. _Some_ progress is _good_. However, we have absolutely _no need_ for your religious practices. We have our own, which we've used since the beginning of human magic. We understand what a _blessing_ and _gift_ our magic is to us, and we do _not_ take it for granted. We thank our deities every single day for the gifts they have bestowed upon us. Our blessings and rituals ensure that our benefactors know just how much we love and appreciate them.

"Your muggle religious practices, however, condemn us as evil and satanic. They cast us into the dark, with no room for redemption. We do not recognize your one, true god, nor do we recognize your savior made flesh. Personally, I believe that your Jesus Christ was simply a wizard and a prophet, spreading the history of magic and mankind. Some of the feats he's been credited with are simply exaggerations made by simple, ignorant people, looking for 'miracles'. He provided early muggles with a basis for the faith they practice today. His rules and guidelines gave the muggles a way to behave and interact. The fact that some of the muggles in power saw him as a threat to that power, and subsequently killed him in a most brutal fashion, just shows how afraid people in general can be, and how hungry for power the few truly are.

"He was but a man, with a forbearance that was nearly saintly. He both united and divided people, based on his teachings and his 'miracles'. He paid the ultimate price for their fear and betrayal, and should be pitied for the suffering he had to endure, just to become a martyr to your religion."

" _I beg your pardon?_ " Hermione gasped, horribly offended. "How _dare_ you speak of our Savior like that? You will burn in _hell_ for your blasphemy!"

"As you say," Harrison replied, unaccountably tired of the muggleborn. He'd had this discussion with her before; granted, it wasn't as blatantly anti-Christian as this, but the gist was the same. She'd had pretty much the same reaction then, too. "I'm done with you. I should have you banished from Hogwarts within the month. Just in time for the summer holidays. Don't expect an invitation back next year. I'd say have a nice life, but I really wouldn't mean it." Turning, he walked away, his friends following. She could hear them snickering at her, and she was livid. Before she could do anything, however, she heard a voice, which halted her in her tracks.

"You're really pathetic, you know that?" Dean Thomas told her with a scowl on his face. "Your supposed 'best friend' has finally found happiness, and all you want to do is deride him for it. He's a _wizard_ , as you are a _witch_. I get how you were brought up; I was raised the same. However, _my_ parents _understand_ that things have to be different for me now. That isn't the point, however. The _point_ is the headmaster made him suffer with abuse for _ten years_. Dumbledore made Harrison jump through hoops like a prized show dog _as soon as he got here_. _Not one single adult in this school ever came to his aid. NOT ONE!_ And here you are, demanding that he bow down to the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, when he has _no bloody reason to!_ What right do _you_ have, expecting him to knuckle under your pressure to be the perfect 'Savior'? _Who do you think you are that you should be demanding ANYTHING from him?_ You should be _there_ for him, like a _true friend_ is _supposed_ to be. Instead, you belittle and humiliate him. You treat him like a child. You _keep him from being happy and successful_. All so that you can maintain the status quo; that of you being the most brilliant witch to ever attend Hogwarts. Which, by the way, is a bunch of codswallop. I happen to know that Lily Evans, Harrison's birth mother, was _ten times_ the witch you will _ever_ be. She _accepted_ people for _who they were_. It didn't matter what House they were in; they were all friends to her. She was one of the most beloved people to ever grace these hallowed halls, and her son _was_ the same way, until you got your hooks into him. _You and the Weasel_ are the reason Harrison isn't as open, honest and friendly as he used to be. You two are the reason he left Gryffindor." With that said, the students began to filter away, the older ones thinking about Dean's words, and pondering how much Harrison had changed from first year.

Hermione stood alone in the middle of the hallway, tears running down her face. _They're_ _ **wrong**_ _,_ she thought angrily. _They_ _ **have**_ _to be. They don't really_ _ **know**_ _Harry. Not like_ _ **I**_ _do. They weren't_ _ **there**_ _when we rescued the Philosopher's stone. They weren't_ _ **there**_ _to go through every challenge, ensuring that he made it all the way through. They weren't_ _ **there**_ _to give him the right answers. Without_ _ **me**_ _, he would have died! Without_ _ **me**_ _, the stone wouldn't have been…oh, right. It_ _ **wasn't**_ _saved. Somehow, in the last challenge, Harry_ _ **lost**_ _the stone. I_ _ **knew**_ _I should've gone through with him. He's_ _ **useless**_ _without me._ So thinking, she flounced away, never once considering the _boy_ who had befriended her and saved her life against the troll. She never thought of _Harry_ ; a boy who only wanted to be loved and wanted. A boy who had absolute faith in his friends, until he made a bargain that changed his life, and made him _see_ her for who and _what_ she really was.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** The little jab at Draco in the beginning of this chapter was inspired by a conversation I had with my adult daughter. She goes through an outfit called Smart Choice Foods, to help keep her food budget down. It's run through a local church. The first time we went to get the order, she, knowing that I'm an atheist, asked me if I was sure I wouldn't burst into flame as soon as I entered the church.

* * *

 **Nineteen**

"This was the easiest year I've had so far," Harrison murmured as he sat in the train compartment. With him were Draco, Neville, Luna, and the twins. Every now and then someone would stop by the compartment to chat for a few moments. Many offered their support to the raven, having been witness to several more confrontations between the emerald eyed preteen and the bushy haired know it all. Each time, more and more money would come from the Grangers' pockets, while the girl would become more and more strident in her efforts to assert her ownership over Harrison. Finally, just days before the Leaving Feast, she had received a letter from her parents, forbidding her from attending Hogwarts ever again. They had received the continuous bills from Harrison's solicitor, as well as transcripts of her transgressions, and were appalled at her behavior. They had also sent an apology to the raven; they were embarrassed that the results of encouraging their daughter to 'learn' had turned into the child's quest to prove herself the most brilliant being in existence. They explained to him their decision to pull her from Hogwarts, just before the girl would've received an injunction from the Wizengamot, and were going to enroll her in some intensive therapy.

Apparently, she had a couple of aunts on her mother's side who had gone a bit barmy in the same way. Perhaps, once she'd been diagnosed, if there _was_ an issue, and had been treated, she'd be allowed to attend one of the other magical schools. They promised that they would keep her away from Harrison, knowing that, should she return, she would likely end up arrested for her harassment.

"Well, if you consider nearly being kidnapped, putting the headmaster in prison and finding the betrayer of your parents as easy, then yes, you had an easy year this year," Draco snarked sarcastically, to the amusement of everyone in the compartment. "It was _only_ second year, after all."

"Well," Harrison said with a blush, grinning sheepishly, "since you put it _that_ way…"

"Are we _really_ going to live like muggles this summer?" Fred whinged loudly, a monumental pout on his face.

"Yes," Harrison snapped harshly, fed up with the moaning and complaining. Instantly, the older twin was contrite.

"I'm sorry, Harrison," he said softly. "I know we've been bitching about it a lot, and it's got to be getting to you. We'll try and maintain our composure."

"Look," the raven answered quietly, "I know it's going to be a bit of a chore for you guys, and I understand. It's only going to be for one month, and only once. I don't expect you guys to _love_ it, but I _do_ expect you to give it a chance. To understand the muggles better, you need to know where they _come_ from. Believe me, one month as a muggle will only give you the barest _glimpse_ of what their lives are like. But, at least it will give you _some_ understanding of the muggleborns when they come to school. _That's_ the most important part of this project."

"You're right, Harrison," Neville replied into the thoughtful silence. "We _do_ need to understand the muggleborns better, so that we may answer their concerns more intelligently, instead of shunting them aside as insignificant. It will also help us to understand why they cling to some of their traditions and technologies."

"About that," Draco murmured, looking at his friend, "are we going to have to attend their _church_?"

"I don't think so," Harrison said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You would most likely burst into flame as soon as you cross the _threshold_." Draco's mouth gaped in horror for a moment, before the chuckling alerted him that his best mate was poking fun at him.

"S'not funny," the blond groused quietly, pouting.

* * *

"Here we are," Remus said with an expansive gesture, ushering everyone into the hallway of Grimmauld Place. Everyone looked around, awed at the welcoming atmosphere.

"I thought this was a Dark family's house," George murmured, relaxing at the comforting feeling of home.

"It was," Remus replied, grinning. "I had to execute the original house elf; he'd gone off his nut. So, I scrounged up some galleons that had been hidden all over the house and bought two new, younger elves. They went to town as soon as I brought them here, and this is all their doing." At that moment, Reeses and Skelley popped in, bowing to the crowd.

"Welcome to Master Remus' home," Reeses murmured. "I is being Reeses and she is being Skelley. We is being happy that you is being staying with Master Remus for a while."

"Hello," Harrison said, smiling. "I am Harrison, and this is Draco," the blond bowed his head, "Neville," Longbottom grinned and waved, "and the Weasley twins." Both redheads stuck out their hands, waiting patiently for both elves to shake. "We don't expect anything special, and, in fact, you two will need to go to my father's castle for the next three weeks. We expect you back the week of the twenty fifth to help set up for my father's bonding ceremony."

"We is understanding," Skelley chirped with a wide grin. "Master Remus is being explaining that you is being wanting to live like mugglies. We is being staying with Sandie and Dobby until you is being wanting us here again." With that, they popped away to the dejected groans of the twins and Draco. When Harrison looked at them with a raised eyebrow, Draco answered the unasked question.

"We thought you weren't serious about all that when the elves popped in. We were kind of hoping that they'd be _overlooked_."

"Not a chance," Tom said as he and a very disgruntled Lucius stepped through the front door. Huffing a laugh at the downtrodden faces, he turned to his son, who had instantly wrapped his arms around his father's waist. "Hello, Harrison," the man intoned gently, carding fingers through his son's hair.

"Hello, Father," the child answered, eyes glinting happily up at his patriarch. "We'll have the elves back the week of the twenty-fifth of July, to get Grimmauld Place ready for your wedding." The raven paused for a moment, looking around. "Where's Severus?"

"He had some last-minute details to straighten out at school. He'll be along momentarily."

"Allow me to show you to your rooms," Remus said into the quiet as he led everyone up the stairs.

* * *

"Remus?" Harrison said a couple of days later. The werewolf was in the lounge, relaxing and reading a book.

"Yes, cub?" he replied, putting his book down and patting the sofa next to him. Harrison sat down, a small book in his hands.

"I found this in the room you gave me to stay in. It's a photo album. Could…could you tell me about the pictures in it?" Taking the small, leather bound book from his godson's hands, he opened it to the first page, smiling fondly at the picture.

"This is our first day at Hogwarts," he murmured softly, fingers caressing the picture. "Your father and I were in a compartment when Sirius barged in, dragging Peter behind him. I guess they'd met down the train, and were looking for a place to crash. We'd become instant friends, and had one of the muggleborns take our picture for us."

"W-where's Mum?" the raven asked softly, noticing the look of sad nostalgia on the wolf's face.

"We hadn't met her yet," he replied as he turned the page. "This is the first confrontation between your father, Sirius and Severus. Your mum is standing slightly behind Sev. James had tried to grab Lily, to drag her with him to Hogsmeade. This was third year. Severus saw how uncomfortable James had made her, and he stepped in front of her to protect her. Needless to say, your father didn't like that one bit." He turned the page, and flushed in shame.

"This is the first time that a prank was played on Severus," Remus whispered, mortified. In the picture, the hem of Severus' robes were magicked up around his waist, and he was sporting a very fine set of women's legs. He was even wearing powder pink pumps. His hair had been done up in a beehive, and there was lipstick on his mouth. "That was the best they could do at the time," the werewolf continued, ashamed of himself for not putting a stop to the humiliation earlier. "This happened later in our third year when they were able to perform that partial transfiguration of Severus' body. Fortunately, that was all they could ever do, so they moved on to other, more cruel stunts." He turned the page again, and closed his eyes in horror.

"This was fifth year. This was probably the worst prank ever played, and I don't think I've ever forgiven Sirius _or_ James for this. That ravening animal in the background, being held by containment charms, is me in my werewolf form. Sirius thought it would be _funny_ to send Severus to the shack, so that I would either infect or kill him. James maliciously went along with it, and _gloated_ to Lily about it. He _knew_ how much Severus' friendship meant to her, and this was his way of asserting his dominance over her. In the last act of defiance she showed, she went to Lucius and warned him. Malfoy sped to the Shack and threw the containment charms at me just in time, confining me to that area of the room. It was a near thing, and Lucius lit into the Marauders. He threatened to go to the Aurors and tell them of the attempt on Snape's life. Severus whispered something in Lucius' ear, and the blond backed down, though he wasn't happy about it. The truly surprising thing was that Severus never mentioned the stunt to _anyone_. I found out later that he'd done that at the request of Lily." He turned the page again, smiling sadly.

"This is the day we graduated. Severus is wearing the ribbon that denoted him as a Potions apprentice. He was so _proud_ , but there was no one there to share in his honor. Lily _wanted_ to, but had promised James that she would stay away from Lucius and he. She was already so deeply in love with him, in spite of his reprehensible behavior, so she went along with everything he wanted. I saw the pain in Severus' eyes as she turned away from him." Tears had begun to fall as Remus turned another page.

"This was their wedding day," Lupin husked. "Lily was so beautiful, and looked so very happy. Too bad that the happiness was short-lived." Another page revealed a very pregnant Lily, who looked tired and washed out. She still glowed with happiness, though, and if you looked closely, you could see bruises hidden by her sleeves. The next picture was of Lily and Harrison. "She had the widest, most joyous smile I'd ever seen on her face," Remus murmured, stroking his fingers along her picture. "You were the absolute light of her life." Harrison's eyes were misty as he stared at his mum, cradling him close and smiling down at him. They both stared at the picture for a moment, before Remus removed it and the wedding picture, as well as the one of his mum pregnant, from the album and handed them to his godson. "We'll burn the rest of these pictures. You put those someplace special."

Harrison tucked the pictures away into a pocket. "Who took all those pictures, Moony?" he asked curiously, heart heavy at all that his godfather had shared.

"Wormtail," the werewolf answered softly. "He wasn't good for much else. He had a real keen eye for settings, and what would make a good photograph, so we handed the duties to him. That's why you never see him in any of the pictures."

* * *

Their first week as muggles was _rough_. The first day, the twins, Draco, Lucius, and Neville all trooped down to the kitchen and sat at the table, waiting patiently for a house elf to serve them. Twenty minutes later, and scowls on every face, Harrison, Tom, and Severus entered the kitchen, laughing at the group at the table. "What's so bloody funny?" Fred barked loudly. "We're _starving_ , but the house elf hasn't brought our food yet."

"That's because there _is_ no house elf," Harrison replied laughingly. "Remember? Anyway, don't worry. I'll take care of everything."

He walked to the refrigerator and opened it. Humming softly, he pulled out eggs, bacon, English muffins, bread, butter, milk, juice, and shredded cheese. Setting it all on the counter, he went to the upper cupboards and pulled down a large mixing bowl, and a couple of smaller ones. He then rooted around underneath the cooker and pulled out a couple of frying pans and a griddle pan, putting them on the burners of the cooker. Rooting around in yet another cabinet revealed flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Finished, he began to break eggs into one of the bowls while setting the bacon on the griddle pan to fry. Everyone watched, astonished, as he threw shredded cheese, salt and pepper into the bowl, scrambling all of it together before pouring it into one of the hot frying pans. In the other, he placed slices of bread soaked in a different egg mixture, which had vanilla extract and cinnamon. He rooted around for another frying pan and placed it on the stove. He mixed the flour, milk, some eggs, and the baking powder together, then grabbed some chocolate chips from the refrigerator, which he threw in last. He then ladled the mixture into the hot frying pan, deftly flipping the pancake into the air when the first side was done.

The kitchen soon filled with the delicious scents of breakfast as Harrison turned the bacon out onto some paper towels. The scrambled eggs went onto a large platter, and the French toast went onto a warm plate. The pancakes went on yet another plate, and the toaster was utilized to toast the English muffins, which he placed on another plate. He took all of the food and beverages and placed them on the table, turning to the refrigerator to pull out several different types of jams and some maple syrup. Finally, heaving a satisfied sigh, he sat between his father and Draco, pulling an empty plate toward himself and loading it up. It took a few seconds before everyone else followed suit, and there was silence, except for the sounds of eating. More than once, someone hummed in pleasure as they enjoyed the repast that had been prepared for them.

"That was wonderful, Harrison," Lucius murmured over his third cup of coffee. Many voices spoke up in agreement. "I am honored that you would cook such delicious food for us." The raven blushed at the praise, smiling shyly.

"You cook better than a house elf," Draco blurted, then flushed with shame, remembering exactly _how_ he had learned those skills in the first place.

"It's okay, Draco," the preteen murmured. "I've made my peace with how I was raised. The skills I was forced to learn are valuable, and may come in handy some time down the road."

* * *

It was finally the week of the wedding. Everyone had settled into a routine of sorts; Harrison, Draco, Neville and the twins would walk down to the local grocery every Tuesday in the first three weeks of the month to pick up supplies. Their first time in a grocery was very confusing for the three wizard-raised boys as they watched Harrison carefully check the products to ensure that they'd not gone over, or were _about_ to. When it came time to pay for them, the others' eyes were wide as they watched their friend count out so many different denominations of bills and coins. Once out of the store, they bombarded him with questions, so, as the twins carried the supplies, Harrison pulled out his muggle money and explained. It took a few days before the others finally got the hang of muggle money, but once they did, they were frequent visitors to the grocery, the pharmacy, and a small department store, where they bought whatever caught their eye. Once home, they'd take apart the packages and have the raven show them what the things were, and what they were used for. It was a very embarrassed Draco who realized that he'd picked up a box of condoms, not really understanding the words on the package. Harrison had a great deal of fun teasing the blond until he was permanently red.

When they weren't shopping, they went to electronics stores to examine the technologies. They were fascinated by the televisions and the computers, eagerly watching as the store personnel would demonstrate how to surf the internet. Eyes were permanently struck wide at all the information that could be accessed at the press of a few buttons. "We really need to figure out how to adapt these things to home," Draco murmured in Harrison's ear one day. The raven nodded, suppressing a shiver at the feel of the blond's breath in his ear.

"I'm sure Father will figure out something," Riddle answered, unconsciously leaning into his friend. Draco noticed the motion, but didn't say anything about it. Truth be told, he was feeling a little _anxious_ lately, and most of it was caused by his best friend. Shelving that thought for later, the boys left the electronics store and meandered down the sidewalk, enjoying the balmy weather.

"It's really not so bad," Neville finally said after a time. All eyes turned to him, and he cleared his throat nervously before continuing. "The muggle world. It's really not so bad. They've done some amazing things to adapt to not having magic, and have managed to survive and _thrive_. They're not the ignorant, lowly creatures as we'd been taught by our pureblood ancestors."

"No, they're not," Draco concurred. "They all seem friendly and willing to help, too. Even though they don't know us."

"That's their jobs," Harrison murmured, pleased that everyone was more accepting of the muggle world, but wanting to _warn_ them, as well. "The people we meet in the shops aren't the norm. They're paid to assist us. Don't get me wrong; there are a lot of caring, compassionate muggles out there. However, that's not _all_ that's out there. Here, let me pick up some muggle newspapers, and you'll understand what I'm talking about." They stopped at a newsstand, where Harrison purchased three different newspapers and some magazines. He grabbed _Time_ _,_ _Life_ _,_ _Sports Illustrated_ _,_ and _People_. Once purchased, they went home, and he opened both the papers and the magazines, spreading them out on the floor in the den. "Now, take a look at all the articles in all the publications. You'll soon understand what I was talking about."

* * *

The day of the wedding dawned with a brightly shining sun and clear skies. The air was sweet with the abundance of flowering shrubs and vines that made up the garden in the back yard. The elves had remodeled the yard in the week that they'd been back, and it looked like a dream. To honor Severus' and Harrison's love for Lily, they had festooned the yard with several different varieties of lilies. Explosions of color littered the yard, and the archway under which the two men would stand was covered with black roses. The wedding party would be small; just Tom, Severus, Lucius, the boys and Remus, as well as the officiate. Harrison was to be best man for Severus, while Lucius would serve as best man for Tom. Trembling in anticipation, Harrison held the bonding ring that Severus would give to Tom, while Lucius had the one for Severus.

"I am honored to preside over the bonding of Tom Marvolo Riddle and Severus Tobias Snape. Both men have come through some very difficult times to reach this point in their journey. A journey that helped to shape them into the fine honorable young men that stand before me today. With this bonding, they will continue their life's journey, together. Now, who stands for Severus Snape?"

"I, Harrison Salazar Riddle, proudly stand for Severus Snape," the raven answered, voice quivering with happiness.

Nodding, the officiate turned to Tom. "Who stands for Tom Riddle?"

"I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, proudly stand for Tom Riddle." Lucius could not help the beaming smile he turned to his friend. Tom smiled back, ruby eyes gleaming with the fond love he felt for the elder blond.

"May I have the rings, please?" Harrison handed his ring to the officiate first, who then turned to Tom. "Take this ring, and place it on your bonded soul's finger." Tom slid the platinum ring on Severus' left ring finger, flinching slightly as it glowed a brilliant white. The officiate then turned to Severus after taking the ring from Lucius. "Take this ring, and place it on your bonded soul's finger." Sev slid the ring on his mate's left ring finger, and it flared a brilliant white, as well. As the rings' glow dimmed, the married men were stunned to see their names inscribed on the surface of the rings, surrounded by the names of their loved ones. The entire band of both rings were filled with the names of their sons, godsons, and closest friends. "I now present you Severus Tobias and Thomas Marvolo Riddle, who have been accepted by Magick, and have been granted an ivory soul bond. May Hecate guide your destinies."


	20. Chapter 20

**Twenty**

The celebration was exuberant. The wedding cake was made by Harrison, with help from the house elves, who had also prepared the wedding feast. Lucius provided the champagne, from his own cellars, and Remus provided the music. The kids were boisterous and excited, dancing and having a great time being silly during this most festive of occasions. Severus and Tom were often caught slow dancing, both men wrapped around each other. Every chance he got, Harrison would address the Potions Master as Dad, making the man flush with elated pleasure. The wedding party was also a birthday celebration for not only Harrison, but Draco as well. Since the blond's birthday was June 5, and they were still in school at the time, they couldn't properly celebrate it, so Tom had made sure his wedding celebration included birthday wishes for both boys.

"Harrison," his dad murmured with an almost shy smile, "I have a present for your birthday."

"Having you become my dad is the best present I could ever receive," the raven replied with a bright smile. "I don't need anything else."

"Be that as it may," the not so dour man responded with a tremor in his voice, "I have brought you something." He turned and picked up a covered item that the teen had failed to notice. Severus turned and handed it to the boy, watching nervously as the child pulled the cover off of the item.

It was a birdcage, made of scrolled and filigreed stainless steel, and within it was a bird of prey. A raptor. Harrison looked at his dad curiously, waiting for an explanation.

"That is a Caracara falcon, also known as a mourning falcon. I thought it would be a good messenger bird for you, since you didn't want another owl."

"A Caracara falcon," the teen whispered softly, emerald eyes on the beautiful bird. "But I thought they were extinct."

"They are, in the _muggle_ world. We have conservationists in the wizarding world who keep an eye on the various endangered species of the muggle world. When one is in imminent peril of becoming extinct, they will go out and procure several specimens and bring them to the magical world, where they will have habitats already set up for their survival. In this way, we can preserve the various species of plants and animals, so that they will always be a part of the ecosystem. Perhaps, one day, when the muggles realize how much damage one extinct species could cause to the ecology, they will wake up and make efforts to change the way they interact with their environments. Then, perhaps, we may reintroduce these 'extinct' species to create a new, balanced bionetwork. Until then, we will protect them to the best of our abilities."

"Thank you, Dad," the raven murmured. "I will take care of her, and I am sure I will come to love her almost as much as I loved Hedwig."

"Of that, I have no doubt."

* * *

"Merlin, it's good to be back home," Draco trumpeted dramatically. They were in Harrison's bedroom at the Keep, Draco having asked to stay the rest of the holiday with the raven. Harrison conjured a stand for the birdcage, hanging the cage, with his beautiful bird within it, from the scrolled hook. "Have you picked out a name for her yet?" Draco asked curiously as he watched the careful way his friend treated the falcon.

"I think I'll name her Ares. That has a nice ring to it."

"What does it mean? What language is it?" the blond asked curiously.

"It's Greek, and it is the name of one of the gods. In muggle mythology, Ares was the god of war and one of the twelve Olympians. Mount Olympus was where the Greek gods and goddesses lived. Anyway, he was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was the representation of the physical side of war; fighting, battle and bloodshed. His sister, Athena, was the more logical and strategic goddess of war. Ares wasn't well-liked by the other gods; his children, Phobos and Deimos, as well as his lover, Enyo, frequently accompanied him into battle. They created and encouraged rampant mayhem and aggression. His sole purpose was to slaughter as many as he could, which didn't sit well with the other gods and goddesses, because the fewer mortals alive, the fewer worshippers to tithe to them. The gods and goddesses _thrived_ on the reverent worship of the muggles, and their willing sacrifices."

"That's interesting," Draco said enthusiastically. "Are there books with this information?"

"Yeah," Harrison replied happily. "I'll take you to a couple of the really good bookstores in London one of these days, and we'll pick up a bunch of different books. They have books about _hundreds_ of subjects, including how-to manuals for computers."

"Excellent," the blond purred, pleased. "Anyway, it's great to be back in civilization."

"It wasn't _that_ bad, was it?" Harrison queried with amusement.

"Well, no. Not really. But I missed the elves. I missed having Dobby check up on me to make sure I'm all right. I swear, he's spoilt me with all of his attention."

"I know the feeling," Harrison replied agreeably. "I missed Sandie's exemplary care of me, myself." At that moment, Sandie popped in, a wide smile on her face.

"Master Harrison!" she exclaimed excitedly before launching herself at him and wrapping her spindly arms around his knees in a squeezing hug. Harrison knelt down and gave her a proper hug, brushing a gentle kiss to her cheek before standing. "Sandie is being missing Master Harrison."

"Not as much as I missed you," the raven replied, smiling at his champion. She flushed with pleasure before popping away to fetch refreshments.

"Dobby is being missing Master Draco, too," said another squeaky voice from behind the blond. This startled a loud _eep_ from the thirteen year old, before he spun around and glared half-heartedly at his elf. A smile broke through the scowl, and Draco knelt down to give his elf a hug.

"I missed you too, Dobby." Once all the mushiness was finished, the elves set up the snacks and beverages for the boys before popping away. They sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace, picking from the tray on the low table in front of them. A strained, uncomfortable silence stretched out between them, neither teen understanding from where the sudden tension had come. Finally, Draco huffed out an impatient breath, turning to his very best friend and staring into Harrison's emerald eyes with determination. "We need to talk."

"Okay," the raven replied hesitantly, setting his pumpkin juice down and turning to face his friend. "What about?"

"Well," Draco stammered, suddenly shy, "I…I've been feeling a little… _weird_ when I'm around you lately. My stomach gets all fluttery and funny feeling, and I get kinda mad when you don't pay enough attention to me. I…I want to _touch_ you all the time." Ebon brows flew up in surprise, but Harrison wisely kept silent, knowing that his friend wasn't finished yet. "I want to be closer to you, and have you close to me. I…I'm afraid you'll find someone else to hang out with that will be _better_ than me. Losing this closeness we have _terrifies_ me." The blond fell silent, determinedly not meeting the raven's eyes, afraid of what he would see in them. He turned back to the table, wanting to grab something to occupy his hands but reluctant to have a distraction that would interfere with their talk. Finally, Harrison turned back to face the fireplace and scooted closer to Draco. Hesitantly, he leaned his head on the blond's shoulder, turning his head to nuzzle his nose into Malfoy's neck. The resultant shiver made the brunet very happy.

"I feel the same way, Draco," he finally said quietly. "You've become so very important to me. It _hurts_ when I see you close to someone else. Especially Neville. I mean, I _know_ he's with Luna, but _still_. When you started sleeping in the same bed with me, helping me through the nightmares, I started to feel closer to you. You are the only one who can keep them away. You and Father. Would you be willing to take our friendship deeper? Would your father mind if we took our relationship deeper?"

Draco looped an arm around Harrison's shoulders, pulling him snugly against his side. "I don't think our relationship can go anywhere _but_ deeper," he finally responded, leaning his head on the brunet's. "I'll speak with Father when we go to get our things for Hogwarts. I don't see that he'll have any problem with us… _dating_. I'm sure he'll be ecstatic to draw up a contract between the two of us. We'll take it slow for now; see how this thing goes before we even _talk_ about a betrothal."

"Sounds good to me," the teen murmured sleepily, a contented smile on his face.

* * *

"Neville. Might I have a moment of your time?" Augusta Longbottom said to the teen as he walked through the foyer. Neville was on his way to the greenhouses at the back of his property; he'd had those cuttings from Severus, and was thrilled at the way they were responding to his care. He'd even managed to cross-pollinate some of them, creating new species of plant. He couldn't _wait_ to begin working with Severus on experiments. He turned to his grandmother, surprised to see contrition on the old woman's face. They hadn't had a chance to talk since the Yule Ball; Augusta had made herself very scarce once her grandson had come home. Neville just figured she was still angry with him. It had hurt, but he busied himself with his plants, and that soothed the ache somewhat. The Manor was quiet since Algernon Longbottom had left; Neville hadn't realized just how much _looming presence_ the man had until he was gone. Now the Heir-Lord didn't have to scuttle fearfully through his home, trying to avoid being seen by the overbearing bully.

"Of course, Grandmother," the boy replied with a small bow of his head. He turned and led her to his private study. He'd taken Frank's den and had turned it into a study for himself. There, he could write up prospectuses for the research facility, as well as design new plants from his cross-pollinating experiments. He sat behind his desk while his grandmother sat in the plush chair situated before it. She looked at her grandson, sitting tall behind his desk, and the pride just washed over her once again. _He is the son of my precious Frank, through and through,_ she thought, emotion overwhelming her for a moment. _His parents would be so very proud of him._ Neville saw the emotion in his gran's eyes, and he hurriedly summoned a house elf for tea, hoping to calm her down. He wasn't sure what the meeting was about, but he suspected it had something to do with his declarations at the Ball. Once tea had been served, Augusta spoke, stunning the brunet.

"I am so sorry, Neville, for the way I have treated you all these years." There was a waver to her voice, and unshed tears in her eyes. "Algernon and your father constantly competed for my attentions, and I had to become a bit harsher in order to make them obey. My brother-in-law was worse than a child at times; it often felt like I had _two_ children. I had expected you to be very much like your father, and so I patterned my behavior and attitude accordingly. It never occurred to me that, because you weren't raised by Frank, you wouldn't be like him. I turned the other way when Algernon was abusing and bullying you; I thought you needed a firmer hand than I had to grow up as you should. I realize now that what I had allowed was thoughtless and unnecessarily cruel.

"I _never_ thought you were a squib. I have a confession to make. Your father was a magical late bloomer, as well. He didn't start manifesting accidental magic until he was nine. I don't know why; perhaps it's something about your magical core. Anyway, Frank grew up to be a remarkably powerful wizard, and I can feel how powerful you will be, as well. I know I've never told you this, but I love you, baby, and I will always be nothing but proud of you. It just took you standing up to your great-uncle and I to make me see just how strong and confident you _really_ are."

"Thank you, Gran," Neville whispered, too choked up to be able to speak properly. "I love you, too."

* * *

Draco, Harrison, Neville, Lucius, Remus, Tom and Severus were in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. They'd spent the morning getting their things for third year, and were a little knackered. Tom had picked up some extra books for the Defense class, and Remus had ordered some additional class texts for History. The boys were beyond excited to have protection in the school and were looking forward to actually _learning_ something in History of Magic.

"Lucius, may I ask you something?" Harrison nervously said. All eyes were on him, his father's and dad's eyes expressing a little worry at the teen's timidity.

"You may," Lucius replied gently, trying to ease the boy's nervousness.

"Would…would it be all right with you if…if D-Draco and I d-deepen our relationship?" Severus and Tom smiled widely at their son, proud that he was taking this important first step.

"I have already spoken with Draco about this, and I see no reason why I should deny you this. I also understand that the two of you wish to hold off on making any permanent commitment at the moment, and I approve. You've only really started to know one another this past year. It will take some time for the two of you to figure out whether you would be a good match or not. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you, sir," the raven breathed out with relief. It took a few moments for the teen to gather his scattered senses enough to continue enjoying his lunch. His free hand dropped beneath the table, reaching over to wrap around Draco's, who gave his hand a squeeze in comfort.

"Father, I have a question," Harrison said after several minutes of silence.

"About what, son?" Severus replied in Tom's stead, having wanted to say that for a while. He savored the beaming smile that was shot his way.

"Well, I was wondering why we didn't include the attempted poisoning of Draco in the charges against the headmaster."

"You know, I completely forgot all about it," Tom answered, shamefaced. "With so much going on, it completely slipped my mind."

"It would not have stuck, in any case," Lucius chimed in, scowling. "The potion was purged and vanished so quickly, before any of us thought to get a sample to test. We have only our suspicions that it was Albus to administer the poison. We have no idea of _how_ , or _when_ the poison was given to my son. We have no solid _proof_ that the headmaster was even _involved_."

"That sucks," Neville muttered, eliciting snorted laughter from everyone at the table. "If we could've added the attempted murder of an Heir-Lord to a most Noble and Ancient House to his charges, he would've most likely received the Kiss."

"Yes, well, none of us were thinking rationally at the time," Tom stated with a scowl. "All we were concerned with was making sure that Draco was purged of the poison before it had done irreversible damage. That was more important than trying to get more proof of Albus' misdeeds."

"Agreed," Harrison said with a growl. "I would've _razed the earth_ if anything would've happened to Draco."

"I love you too," the blond mumbled, embarrassed but happy at the fierce protectiveness of his boyfriend.

* * *

"I've been meaning to ask you about some of these things," Draco said as he looked around Harrison's room. It was the night before they were to go to the train for their third year of Hogwarts, and both boys were in their silk pajamas, lounging against the headboard of the bed, talking. Harrison looked around at the various bits and pieces that he'd added to the room last summer.

"That," he pointed at a ceramic decorative box with lid, "was the first courting gift my birth father gave my mum. She kept all of her favorite poems and pictures in it, as well as the little bits and pieces James would bring her, usually after he'd been a little _rough_ with her. She'd made notations on the various items, as a sort of catalogue of offenses, I guess you would say.

"That," he pointed at an ivory picture frame, in which Harrison had placed a picture of his father and dad getting married, "was the picture frame that held a family photograph of mum, Granddad Evans, Grandmum Evans, and Aunt Petunia. Naturally, I cut that bitch out of the picture, and put it into a smaller frame.

"That," he pointed at a small ebony wood jewelry box, "holds all of my mum's jewelry, including her engagement and wedding rings. All of these small treasures I found in my heritage vault, and thought it would be nice to have some bits and pieces from my parents' lives. I may not like James, or the way he treated mum, but he was _still_ my birth father, and I _do_ love him."

"How does that work?" Draco asked curiously. When Harrison quirked a puzzled brow at the blond, he clarified. "I mean, how can you love him, but not _like_ him?"

"I love him because he's my birth dad. I love him because he's a part of me, despite the blood adoption. I still carry his DNA within me. Nothing will ever change that. Besides, no matter how much of an ass he was, he was still _there_ for me, as much as he could be. He protected me and _died_ for me. He _loved_ me, as I love him. However, I don't like the things he _did_ , or the childish way he _acted_. I can only hope that he outgrew that childish streak when I was born. And, no matter what, I will never like how vicious and cruel he was. I will never understand _how_ he could be that way."

"I…erm…I can understand how he could be that way," Draco stammered, flushing with shame. "When you're raised in a pureblood household, especially one with a great deal of wealth, you learn from an early age that the world is yours for the taking. That certain people _matter_ , while others… _don't_. Your father was a late baby for your Potter grandparents. So, they doted on him, and spoiled him. He grew up feeling entitled, and acted it. It's an unavoidable curse for being an only child."

"How do you know about James and his parents?"

"Father told me. It was part of my lessons growing up. To know everything about the _important_ families. And, he thought he could perhaps _mentor_ your father when he came to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, your father met Black on the train, and was told how evil Slytherins were, so Father had no chance to provide some sort of additional training for him. Later, after I was born, Father saw a way to perhaps be involved in the next generation of Potters. He'd assumed, as many of us did, that you grew up as pampered and spoilt as your father did. That first year was an eye-opener for me. You were _nothing_ like I'd expected, but you were _more_ than anyone else realized. So, even though we didn't start out on the right foot, I promised myself that second year would be different. I kept that promise, and don't regret a thing."


	21. Chapter 21

**Twenty-one**

They were all ensconced in the Slytherin car at the back of the train. The twins, Neville, Luna, Harrison, and Draco were all sitting in a booth. In the booth behind them was Severus, Tom, Lucius, and Remus. They were all serving as chaperones this trip, to ensure that nothing happened to their boys. The adults were in the midst of an interesting conversation when a softly spoken question caught their attention. Casting a surreptitious amplification charm, they listened closely to the children's words.

"What would be the best form of revenge against the Dursleys?" Harrison asked quietly. All eyes were on the raven curiously. "Well, I want to punish them for what they did to Hedwig. What kind of vengeance would be best for that?"

"I thought your father was punishing them," Draco murmured.

"He is, but he's punishing them for how they treated _me_. I told Father that I didn't want him to do anything else to them; that I wanted to just forget them. Truth is, I've been planning on paying them back for Hedwig since the incident occurred. I just need a really good way to do that."

"Your aunt and cousin had nothing to do with Hedwig's death," Neville pointed out reasonably. "Why do you want to include them?"

"Because they knew what that fat bastard was going to do, and did nothing to stop it," Harrison snarled harshly, startling everyone at _both_ tables with the immense hatred in his voice. "As far as I'm concerned, that makes them just as guilty as Vernon is."

"Fair point," Draco said soothingly, trying to calm his boyfriend down. "So, we need to come up with some ideas for punishment. Do you want them to die?"

"Father is already taking care of that," Harrison said with a vicious smirk. "He had Sandie hit them with house elf magic, making them slowly starve to death, no matter how much they eat, or what they eat. I just want to inflict a great amount of justifiable _pain_."

"What means the most to your relatives?" Fred asked, trying to gather information.

"Normality," the raven answered instantly. Unbeknownst to the group, they had gathered a large cluster of interested Slytherins, who listened as the children plotted revenge. "They'd prefer that _nothing_ rock their nice, normal lives."

"That's a good start for your aunt and uncle, but what about your cousin?" George queried, already spinning plans in his head.

"Dudley likes to be top dog, no matter where he goes. It's important to him to be seen as the strongest, toughest, meanest bully in school, and around the neighborhood."

"This house elf spell; when did Sandie put it on your relatives?" Neville asked, eyes alight with vicious pleasure.

"The summer after my first year. Why?"

"Well, how long is it supposed to last?"

"I was near starved for almost ten years, and Father told her to make it so that they suffered as long as I did, so there's at least another nine years to go before they die. Again, why?"

"I think we can come up with some spells that will destroy everything they cherish. Namely, their 'normality', and your cousin's 'status'. We can even make the spells last as long as they are alive."

"I have some books in my library back at the Manor that would have spells you could adjust to do those exact things," Lucius' voice came from behind the children, startling the hell out of them. Harrison spun in place, eyes wide as he stared at the blond head over the back of the booth. He flushed, embarrassed at being caught planning something nasty, but Lucius just smiled at the teen. "Do not fear, Harrison. Your fathers and I, as well as Remus, would be only too happy to help you with this. We think it's an excellent way for you to deal with the profound rage and loss you still feel for the death of your beloved familiar."

"Thank you, sir," Harrison whispered, eyes shining with unshed tears.

* * *

They were about halfway to Hogwarts when Neville started another conversational topic. "Those newspapers you had us read," he began hesitantly. At Harrison's nod, he continued. "Are all those articles _real_? I mean, the wars and the violence against each other. People stealing from each other and killing each other. Is that all _real?_ "

"I'm afraid it is," Severus answered, again startling the group. He and the other adults rose and enlarged the booth the kids were sitting at, everyone sliding over to make room. Once the men were situated, Sev continued his train of thought. "The sad truth is, we wizards like to think ourselves superior to muggles, but we're really _not_. Those news articles you read in the muggle papers? Those same crimes are committed in the wizarding world. The only difference is, we have the _Daily Prophet_ , which is under the control of Cornelius Fudge. As long as Fudge continues to pay the _Prophet_ , it will continue to ignore the stories of violence and crime in our world, in favor of pretending that we're perfect. It's _disgusting_ , how much crime goes on in our world, and yet no one even _knows_ it _exists_."

"But why?" Draco asked incredulously. "I mean, a better informed public is a more protected public."

"You are right, son," Lucius replied, nodding sagely. His time in the muggle world had also changed his views on the non-magicals. He'd seen how wonderfully they'd adapted to their mundane lives, and was astonished at the skill and advancements they'd made, all without magic. What really brought it home for the blond was an unexpected encounter. He had decided to take a walk in muggle London, to do some window shopping. He was paused in front of a store window, watching a television and marveling at the way the muggles had even better moving pictures than _wizards_ had, when he was accosted by a gang of hooligans. They had cornered him against the glass, pressing in and playing with his long blonde hair. There were knives brandished at him, and he was terrified. He'd felt _helpless_ without his wand, and had begun to see just how lethal the muggles could actually be.

Suddenly, there was a young man and woman, standing protectively in front of him. They had exchanged heated words with the thugs, holding their cell phones in hand and threatening to call the police. When that didn't sway them, the woman hauled off and punched one of the men in the face, knocking him to the ground with a broken nose. By this time, a small group had gathered, and three more people separated from the crowd, standing by the young man and woman and helping them protect Lucius. In no time, the bullies were chased away, and the crowd had dispersed. The young man and woman, as well as the three others who had defended the blond, stayed to ensure that he was all right. When he tried to offer compensation for their help, they declined with a smile, telling him that it should be every citizen's duty to stand up for each other, to prevent men like that from taking control of their streets.

It was then that Lucius realized that the muggle world was really no different from the magical one; that people were all the same, no matter the culture, age, or location. With a spring in his step, and a better understanding of people in general, and muggles more specifically, he returned to Grimmauld place and cornered Tom and Sev. They had ensconced themselves in the library, where Lucius began to flesh out tentative plans to broaden the horizons of the wizarding world, with the help of the muggleborns.

"Cornelius has it in his head that, as long as he keeps the masses ignorant, they will always depend on him for help and guidance," Lucius continued. "He fails to realize that, the more he keeps us ignorant, the more likely it will be that we will be slaughtered. We need to know what goes on inside our borders, so that we can be better able to deal with the situations and their resultant fallout. Even recently, with the articles in the _Prophet_ about the trials, the full story wasn't told. Our citizens had to read newspapers from _other_ communities to get the whole truth. The crime statistics in the DMLE are ignored; I've heard Rufus Scrimgeour and Amelia Bones _both,_ complaining about the lack of real progress against crime in the wizarding world, as well as the blatant ignorance by the general public to the issues that our legal system faces. It's _appalling._ "

"Do you know what the worst part is?" Tom asked. At the shake of everyone's heads, he responded. "It's the lack of any sort of service agencies to help the muggleborns and halfbloods. It's the failure of our government and our schools to provide the proper pre-education of our world to those who haven't been raised in it. It's the _stupidity_ that states that magical children in the muggle world don't need to be contacted until they receive their Hogwarts letter, unless some accidental magic registers with the Ministry's Trace. When that happens, the parents flip out; terrified of their children and what they can do. Muggle parents _need_ to be educated on their children's abilities, and tests need to be done, so that we may discover from which parent the magic comes, and from which squib lines they originated.

"If the parents learn that their children are not, as many fear, aberrations, but are _hereditary_ witches and wizards, from near-dead lines, and that _they_ were the ones to pass along the magic, it might make their children's assimilation into the wizarding world easier. As well, the parents will be more willing to support their children as they should be supported, especially if we can get them into communities where other muggleborns, as well as halfblood and pureblood magicals, live. We need to _reach out_ to our squib lines in the muggle world; to protect them with all we have. We need to stop sending squibs out into the muggle world. We need to give them a place of their _own_ , where they won't be ostracized and treated poorly. They're _magical_ , for Merlin's sake! We need to protect and cherish _all magicals_!" By the time Tom had finished his impassioned speech, every Slytherin in the car was on their feet and cheering. Riddle flushed with embarrassment, smiling sheepishly at all the attention.

* * *

"There's another thing I'd like to talk about," George said after a while. They'd had to wait until everything settled down again before they could continue their conversation. While they had waited, several Slytherin upper years had approached Tom, to discuss his ideas. They'd had squib relatives who were forced out of the family because of their lack of usable magic, and these were relatives that the students had _loved_. Naturally, they wanted to see plans in place to protect their beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, and other relatives. That took up a couple of hours, which left only an hour and a half before they reached Hogsmeade station.

"Okay, shoot," Harrison said with a grin.

"Those sports? magazines," he said hesitantly. At the raven's nod, he continued with a grin. "The muggles have so many different sports to choose from. Baseketball, horkey, clikket, fumbleball, pillow…the list just goes on. We have quidditch, and maybe gobstones, if you can call that a sport. How do we get those other kinds of sports for our world?"

Harrison had a good, hearty laugh at the way George had mangled the sports names, and it took a few moments for him to get himself under control. Everyone stared at him in bemusement until he was finally able to talk. "It's basketball, baseball, hockey, cricket, football, and polo. Those aren't the only ones, but they'll do for starters. We might be able to adapt _some_ of these sports to the magical world, but I wouldn't count on _all_ of them. I know that Crabbe's and Goyle's dads are the head of the boxing league for the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Boxing is one sport that has adapted well to our world, as long as wands are not present, and that the boxers do not use their magic. I believe there are spells in the gloves that prevent any use of wandless magic."

"That's true," Vince said from within the crowd. "When Dad and Mr. Goyle first introduced the sport, there were all kinds of issues with wizards using magic to cheat, so they designed the gloves to have all kinds of warding spells to prevent the use of any form of magic during the match. Squibs have been able to participate in the sport, since they don't really have any magic. We've got several squib boxing champions for our world, and the sport has spread to other magical communities."

"That's _wonderful_ news," Tom enthused, smiling. "I will be sure to have a discussion with your fathers in the coming weeks about their success with that. They deserve to be rewarded for their forward thinking."

"Thank you, my Lord," Vince and Greg said simultaneously.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I don't think we could adapt a whole lot of their sports to our world. Not without designing some complicated sporting equipment to prevent cheating. We'll get together a few times over the next several weeks to discuss the sports, and what we can do to adapt them, if possible. I think we should include Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan in the planning sessions; I know that they keep up with muggle sports religiously, so they could have a lot of insight."

"Good idea," Fred agreed. "The gossip magazine was… _odd_. There were _pictures_ in it, of men and women in their _unmentionables_. It was really rather scandalous."

"Those weren't unmentionables," Severus said with a chuckle, having a fair idea of what the older twin was talking about. "Those were their swimsuits. The women were wearing bikinis, and the men were wearing either trunks or swim briefs. In the muggle world, as a way to have fun and relax, many people like to go to the beach. It's most popular in areas near the oceans; Great Britain has its fair share of beaches, as has many of the countries in Europe. The people pictured in the magazine are what the muggles call 'celebrities'. They are music stars, movie stars, television stars, fashion models and sports stars. Some of them are current or past political movers and shakers.

"Muggles, and especially muggle photographers, have no concern or consideration when it comes to personal space and privacy. Most of the 'celebrities' have their pictures taken in even the most compromising positions, simply because these photographers get paid a great deal of money for the most scandalous pictures. Celestina Warbeck and the Weird Sisters have complained about their popularity; what's done to them is positively _tame_ compared to the muggle paparazzi."

"What about those news magazines?" Neville asked. "I mean, they had pictures of dead bodies, and disemboweled animals, and all sorts of other kinds of rather violent pictures."

"That would be _Time_ magazine," Harrison said with a frown. "It's a magazine that has articles about current events, medical breakthroughs, new technological advances, and a host of other types of stories. They do have their fair share of crime stories, as well as crime statistics for other countries. They are primarily an information source, and a damn good one. Most of the time, the articles are written with an eye toward impartiality. On occasion, a story will appear that has a definite slant, based on the investigative journalist who wrote it. It's very hard to maintain impartiality when you're staring at mangled, butchered children, or entire families wiped out by some major natural disaster.

"The other one is _Life_. It's more a celebration of the perseverance of mankind. Their stories tend to be uplifting, and are generally what are called 'human interest' stories. Often, they'll have a story about a celebrity who had passed away. The story will cover their life, from birth to death, and explore everything they had accomplished. It's really quite amazing how well the muggles succeed in living their lives to the fullest."

"While all of this is fascinating, it's time to get into our school robes," Blaise interrupted. "We're coming up on Hogsmeade station."

* * *

"We wanted to run something by you, Harrison," the twins said as they sat across from the raven and his two friends in the thestral-pulled carriage. At the teen's nod, they continued. "We are planning on punishing ickle Won-Won for his wrong-headedness, and we intend to make it last until he graduates. When we leave school, we'll have someone else in place to continue it. What do you think?"

"That depends on what you mean by 'punishment'," the raven replied cautiously. At the malicious smirks crawling across the twins' faces, Harrison grew very wary.

"Oh, nothing much," George said innocently.

"We just plan on hitting him with nonstop pranks," Fred added with a grin.

"We want to make him regret ever hurting you," they said simultaneously. Harrison blushed at the concern on his behalf, a small smile on his face.

"I would be honored to have the pair of you championing me against your brother," he said softly, Draco nodding his enthusiastic agreement.

"This year is going to prove to be very interesting," Neville added with a chuckle.


	22. Chapter 22

**Twenty-two**

"Aaahhh, it's good to be back at Hogwarts," Draco sighed blissfully as he looked around their shared room. "Don't get me wrong; I love being home, but there's just something about feeling the magic of the castle that's comforting. Like being in a home _away from_ home."

"Funny you should say that," Harrison said with a small smile. "From the moment I walked through the doors in my first year, I've always considered Hogwarts my _true_ home. Until Father came to get me, and gave me a _real_ home, Hogwarts was it for me."

"It's going to be a little weird, not having the headmaster breathing down our necks," the blond said, laughter in his voice.

"At least I won't have to face any sort of 'test' or 'crisis' this year, with that madman gone," Harrison gruffed irritably.

"I must say, I am very relieved by that," Draco stated in a no-nonsense manner. "After seeing what you had to go through in your first year, I'm _glad_ that the old fuck is gone." Harrison's eyes went wide, eyebrows shooting into his hairline at the common, base, _crass_ swear word that just erupted from the heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy's mouth.

"Aaawwww, I'm teeellliiinnnn," the raven chimed mock-seriously. He put his hands to either side of his head, pretending to cover his ears. "My poor little virgin ears," he lamented dramatically. "To hear such _filth_ , from such a refined, _pretty_ mouth." Instantly, he put his hands over his own mouth, emerald eyes wide with horror at what had slipped out, face brick red. Draco flushed to the roots of his blonde hair, eyes dropping to his feet shyly.

"Th-thank you, Harrison," the blond whispered, taking tentative steps toward his boyfriend, eyes still on his toes. "I…I th-think you're pr-pretty, too." As soon as he reached the raven's side, he quickly brushed a shy kiss to Harrison's cheek, then darted into the bathroom, slamming the door closed. Dazed, the raven's hands dropped slowly down to his sides, before he lifted one to touch his cheek where Draco had kissed him. Smiling softly, eyes hazy with happiness, he sighed.

Later that night, as they snuggled together under the blankets of the newly enlarged bed, Harrison leaned up and brushed Draco's cheek with his lips. "I love you, Draco," he whispered, burrowing his head into his boyfriend's neck. Shivering at the kiss and the nuzzling, the blond replied.

"I love you, too, Harrison."

* * *

"Good morning," Remus said softly as the students settled into their desks. "My name is professor Remus Lupin. You may call me professor Lupin. I will be your permanent History of Magic professor. I am a werewolf, so, during those times of the full moon, Lucius Malfoy will take my place for that week. I am honored to be back in Hogwarts, teaching a class that I loathed with every fiber of my being." The anxious students, who had become more tense when Remus mentioned his lycanthropy, laughed out loud, many voices agreeing with the assessment, relieved that their professor wasn't actually _scary_. "Right. Let's get started then, shall we?"

They pulled out their texts, but the professor stopped them. "We'll use these texts, instead," he said, flicking his wand and passing out the new books from the stack on his desk. As each student received a book, their eyes widened at the feel of the magic attached to the text. "These are the most recent history encyclopedias, and they are self-updating. They will be used for every class, and every year. They will _not_ leave this room. Is that understood?"

"Yes, professor Lupin," the class murmured timidly.

"Very good. The texts you brought with you will be used for extra research, as I will be assigning essays and term papers to get you up to speed. Now, open the books, please, to chapter four. We will start with Merlin Ambrosius, or as he was sometimes known, Myrddin Emrys and Merlin Cambion, after the demon who had fathered him."

* * *

"Good afternoon, and welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am professor Tom Riddle. You may address me as professor Riddle. I understand that your defense professors over the last two years left something to be desired. Therefore, we will take a small quiz to start, so that I may adequately assess your educational levels, and see where we might start the lessons." Groans filled the room, but one glare from those ruby eyes silenced the students quite effectively. Heads down and quills in hand, they waited for the quiz papers.

All was silent, save for the scratching of quill on parchment as the students filled out the questionnaire. Harrison and Draco were the first to turn in their quizzes, followed by Dean and Seamus. Everyone else eventually trickled up in dribs and drabs, until only Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown were left still taking the test. Seeing everyone else had finished, they scribbled their last couple of answers and quickly turned in their parchments. "Very good," Riddle said, giving a scowl to the two who had finished last. "Now, I will look over these tonight, and design my lesson plan accordingly. For today, I will discuss the difference between Dark Arts, and dark magic."

"They're the same thing," Ron burst out scathingly, glaring at the professor. Tom's left eyebrow rose a fraction over his eye, and the corner of his mouth twitched in irritation at the interruption.

"Mr. Weasley, I do not know how it is done in _other_ classes, but in _this_ class, you will _raise your hand_ and wait for me to call on you before you speak. _Is that understood?_ " Flushing, the redhead nodded, a mutinous look on his face. "Now, as I was saying, the difference between Dark Arts and dark magic is obvious. Dark Arts is a branch of magic that focuses on those curses and spells that take a particular type of attitude or emotion to make them work. Any witch or wizard can use the Dark Arts, as long as he or she has the will, and the requisite emotion to power the spells. Dark magic is magic that is based on one's affinity. Dark magic can only be performed by those with a Dark magical affinity, or those with a Neutral affinity that edges more toward the Dark. Whereas Dark Arts require a focus, and are relatively harmless to the caster, dark magic is not. Dark magic is highly addictive, and can have devastating effects on the caster. It can change one's personality, and can change one's grip on sanity. The Dark Lord Grindelwald is an extreme example of the effects of dark magic on a witch or wizard.

"Many of the Dark families try to avoid dark magic as much as possible. They learned from an early age how addictive and devastating the power truly is. Many of the families have magic-addled relatives in their lines, and those relatives are used as examples for why dark magic should not be fooled with." Parvati Patil raised her hand, and Riddle nodded to her.

"Is there a way to use dark magic _without_ the addiction?" she asked hesitantly. When Riddle smiled in approval, she relaxed, giving him a tentative smile in return.

"There are several different practices you can learn, to train yourself to bleed off the excess dark magic that builds up in your core, but they take years to master, which is why you rarely find a witch or wizard that has managed to successfully use dark magic. Occasional use of dark magic will not harm you; however, as the use of the magic ramps up the serotonin levels in the pleasure centers of your brain, which is how the addiction develops, I wouldn't recommend trying it."

* * *

"Harrison," a voice called out from behind him. They had just left the Defense class, and everyone was chattering excitedly about the new professor. The raven turned to acknowledge who had called, surprised to see that it was Seamus, with Dean close behind him. The pair stopped a couple of feet away from Draco and Harrison, and the silence grew tense before the Irish teen spoke. "Your da is _amazing_ ," he gushed excitedly, smiling widely. Harrison returned the smile, sighing in relief.

"Thanks," the raven replied, blushing. "I'm glad you like him. Now that Dumbledore is gone, things should be much better around here."

"I'll agree with that," Dean chimed in, smiling as well. "Look, we want to apologize for not having yours and Neville's backs when you were in the tower. We didn't realize that things were that bad, for either _one_ of you. None of us ever meant to _hurt_ either one of you, but because we let it happen, we were just as responsible as the twins for your suffering."

"Apology accepted," the raven said quietly, heart lightening with the addition of two more friends. "Look, we're heading to the library to meet Neville and the twins for a project. Would you like to join us? I think the both of you would have a _lot_ to contribute to it." The Gryffindors looked at each other for a moment, surprised, before turning as one and nodding their heads, huge grins on their faces.

* * *

"Remus? Could we talk?" Harrison asked hesitantly. It was after classes had ended for the day, and the raven was able to corner the werewolf in his classroom before dinner. The first few weeks of the term were a little hectic as everyone settled back into the routine of classes and homework, so the raven could rarely find the time or opportunity to talk to his godfather. Though everyone met in Severus' private rooms at the end of the day, there was always too many people around for Harrison to comfortably broach the topic that had bothered him. Now, however, the teen took advantage of the opportunity.

"Of course, cub," the professor said, smiling widely at his godson. He beckoned the teen into the room and closed and warded the door for privacy. They took seats at two adjoining student desks, and there was silence for a moment before the raven began.

"I…I was curious as to w-why you didn't come s-see me before I was adopted," Harrison murmured, eyes on his hands. He'd been wondering about that for quite a while, but, until now, was too afraid to find out the answer. He didn't want to learn that his godfather hadn't cared enough for him to want to check up on him. However, over the last few weeks, the curiosity had eaten at him, making peaceful sleep nearly impossible, even _with_ Draco to cuddle in the night. Amber eyes widened at the question, before a look of profound sadness crossed the werewolf's face, putting Harrison instantly on edge.

"I'm sorry, cub," the older man replied, going silent for so long that the raven began to panic. Seeing the growing fear in emerald eyes, Remus quickly continued. "I had wanted to come see you ever since that fateful night, when your parents were murdered. I was away on a mission in 1981. Albus had sent me to outlying werewolf packs, to try and convince them to side with us against the Dark Lord. The headmaster was very sure that Voldemort would rise again, and he was doing everything he could to try and gain enough power to win the coming war. I had no reason to doubt the old man, so I went along with it.

"When I returned from my travels, I'd learned that your parents were dead, and that you were safely hidden away in the muggle world somewhere. I was also told that Sirius was in Azkaban, having betrayed James and Lily to the Dark. I was devastated at the news; I'd thought Sirius was devoted to your parents, and to learn that he'd been the one to turn on them was really hard to take. Naturally, I asked Albus why you couldn't stay with one of the magical families your parents had wanted you to be with, and he told me that you were better off in the muggle world, where most magicals wouldn't dare go. He'd told me it was for your protection; that your 'heroism' would've made it nearly impossible for you to have a 'normal, happy childhood'. When I told him that I wanted to see you, to make sure that you were truly safe, he told me that it would be impossible. That if anyone from the magical world were to visit you, it would lead the Death Eaters right to your doorstep. He'd also cited 'blood wards', which he erected on the willing sacrifice of your mother.

"Believe me, cub, I nagged and nagged at the old man every chance I could, to try and at least _see_ you. With Sirius in Azkaban, I felt that contact with one of your parents' friends would do you a world of good. I even tried to send you owls, but the letters always came back unopened. Albus kept assuring me that you were safe; that you were deeply loved by your caretakers. It took several years before I found out exactly with _whom_ you'd been left. When I learned it was Lily's despicable sister, I fought doubly hard to try and see you. I _knew_ Petunia Evans; I knew what a royal _bitch_ she _really_ was. Every time I got close to finding you, Albus sent me away again, keeping me 'busy' and away from you."

The werewolf paused, looking into relieved emerald eyes sadly. "I loved you from the moment I saw you. I was the first to hold you after you were born; James and Sirius were out at a pub, getting drunk in 'celebration' of your birth. Lily told me then that she'd fought to have me named your godfather, but James threatened to expose my 'condition', so she subsided and accepted his choice for godfather. I tried; I _really_ tried to find you, to see you, but the headmaster kept blocking my every attempt to contact you. I never gave up, though, and I still have all those letters I sent you." The teen launched himself at Remus, hugging the older man tightly as tears of happiness flooded his eyes. For a small time, they sat like that, Harrison curled in his godfather's lap while Remus murmured words of love in the raven's ear, rubbing his back and cuddling him close.

Finally, Harrison pulled back, wiping the back of his hand over his eyes and smiling tremulously at his godfather. "Do you still have those letters?" he asked softly. At Remus' nod, the teen smiled wider. "May I have them? I'd love to read them. It would give me the chance to know you better if I could see what you wrote." Nodding, the werewolf nudged the teen off of his lap, standing and walking to his quarters, which were through a door at the back of the Defense classroom. Moments later, he came back out with a polished ebony wood box, with a silver lily on the lid. With a type of reverential ceremony, Remus handed the teen the box with a small bow of his head.

* * *

 _December 25, 1981_

 _My dearest cub,_

 _I write and send these now, in hopes that the loving family that you'd been sent to will read them to you, and save them for you to read yourself when you're older. I know that Christmas may not be a happy time for you, considering that you will be celebrating this first, of many, without your parents, but I thought I'd introduce myself and let you know that there are people who knew them, and loved them. My name is Remus John Lupin, and I was your mother's and father's best friend. I am sorry that I waited so long to write, and I know that, right now, you won't understand what this says, but one day you will. I love you. I loved you from the first moment I saw you, and I promised myself that I would make sure you were safe. That you were loved. That you were cared for. I don't know where you are, though I tried to find out, because I wanted to see you. To make sure, with my own eyes, that you were safe._

 _I think the most important thing you should know about me is that I am a werewolf. You will come to understand what that is later. I am not worried that your caretakers know; I was assured that they knew all about you, and all about your magic, and were very accepting of it. Though I am loathe to take Dumbledore's complete word for it, I have little choice but to accept that you are okay. I was…away the night your mum and dad died, and I've been beating myself up over it ever since I found out. I had an important task to complete, to ensure that, when the war starts up again, we have strong, able allies on our side to help us defeat the Dark Lord and his forces. However, had I known that you would be in danger that Halloween night, I would've moved heaven and earth to be by your side, protecting you and your parents. It was because of that night, and some snippets of conversation I'd heard later, that I realized that you would never be truly_ _ **safe**_ _. Not until this whole mess was over._

 _I will never stop writing to you, nor will I ever stop trying to_ _ **see**_ _you. I_ _ **need**_ _to see you; to ensure, for myself, that you're well. I_ _ **will**_ _find you, no matter how long it takes. You're all that is left of my pack, and the wolf in me is desperate. You will_ _ **always**_ _be the cub of the wolf within;_ _ **my**_ _cub._

 _Love always,_

 _Remus Lupin_

 _Uncle Moony_

Harrison laid the letter down on his desk in his shared room, staring off into space for a time, deep in thought. _I_ _ **did**_ _have someone who loved me. Someone who would've moved heaven and earth to find me. Those despicable people made me believe, for such a long time, that I had_ _ **no one**_ _. That I was abandoned on their doorstep because no one_ _ **wanted**_ _me. No one_ _ **loved**_ _me._ It was this contemplative silence that Draco walked into, and he watched his boyfriend for a while, upset at the sad look on the raven's face. He stepped over to the desk, wrapping his arms around Harrison from behind and leaning his chin on the other teen's shoulder. The emerald eyed boy jumped for a second, startled, before he turned, verdant eyes staring into silver. Draco could see the deep contentment within those eyes, and he brushed a kiss to Harrison's cheek, squeezing him once before letting him go.

"Are you all right?" the blond asked as he sat on the bed.

"I am now," the raven replied, turning to look at Draco, eyes starting at the blonde hair, and slowly scanning down over flawless features and ivory skin, to shoulders that were just starting to broaden and arms that were beginning to develop some muscle tone from their spell casting exercises, to a trim waist and narrow hips and down over legs that would be impossibly long in the not too distant future. As the raven made his perusal, Draco blushed prettily, silver eyes shyly on his hands. He couldn't explain it, but every time Harrison looked at him, like _that_ , he felt more precious than the rarest gem. "I've been a little worried lately…" Harrison began as his eyes traveled back up Draco's body to his face.

"I know," the blond interjected quietly. "I've felt how restless you were at night, and figured that you would talk to me about it when you were ready."

"I…I was worried about why Remus wouldn't come visit me when I lived with the Dursleys," Harrison continued, Draco nodding his understanding. "I was finally able to get a minute alone with him, and I asked him. He told me it was because Dumbledore wouldn't tell him where I was. That, no matter how much he nagged the old man, the bastard never told him. When he finally found out _who_ I was _with_ , he tried doubly hard to see me; to make sure I was safe. He'd even tried to send me letters, but they were always returned unopened. He'd saved them, and I asked if I could have them. So, I've started reading them.

"All that time I spent with those muggles, they told me, every hour of every day, that I was unloved. That I was abandoned on their doorstep because no one wanted me. That I was just a useless, worthless waste of space that should've been drowned at birth, to save everyone having to deal with me. For a long time, I _believed_ it. There was _no one else_ to tell me any _different._ Then, when I got _here_ , around people like _me_ , I found out that the Dursleys were right." Draco opened his mouth to protest, but Harrison raised a hand to halt the words. The blond subsided grudgingly, glaring half-heartedly at his boyfriend. "Other than one really good friend in Neville, there was _no one here_ who saw me as anything but a means to an end. I'd been treated like an outsider by nearly everyone in the wizarding world, because I was the 'child of prophecy'. I was either revered as the 'Chosen One', or reviled because I had all this 'power' and I wasn't using it to benefit the wizards and witches who felt they'd _deserved_ it.

"It took my adoption, and your friendship, to make me realize that there were people who actually _cared_ about me. Who actually _wanted me around_. Because of my change in circumstances before second year, I've gotten true family in my father, Severus, Remus, Lucius, Narcissa, and Neville. I've found _friends_ that I've _never had before_ , in the twins, Seamus, and Dean. I've found, what might quite possibly be, the love of my life in _you_. So now, I'm finally able to start putting away the past; ready to move on into a bright, happy future."

"But what about your revenge?" Draco asked, eyes wide.

"Oh, don't worry," the raven replied with a feral grin on his face, "I have absolutely _no intention_ of giving that up. They will _pay_ for killing my beloved Hedwig, and I will enjoy _every single minute_ of making them _suffer_."


	23. Chapter 23

**Twenty-three**

"All right," said Arthur Weasley quietly. They were in the Leaky Cauldron, in one of the private rooms, planning a raid on Azkaban. With the Weasley patriarch was Elphias Doge, Mundungus Fletcher, Sturgis Podmore and Didalus Diggle. "I have the routine for the human guards right here." He pulled out a piece of parchment and laid it on the table. The men hunched over it as Arthur continued to lay out his plans. "The prison won't be manned on Thursday. We all know how to cast a patronus, and I have Albus' cell number and level. We go in early in the morning, just after the human guards leave. The alarms will be disarmed at that time, to allow for the exodus of the Aurors. We need to get to his cell and retrieve him as quickly as possible. We have, at the most, a half hour to get this done."

"What happens if we're there longer?" Dung asked, voice quivering from nerves.

"The alarms will sound an intruder alert, and Aurors will show up to arrest us," Podmore stated flatly. "Which means we must be as quick as possible."

"Any ideas on how to get there and get back, since the island doesn't allow apparition or portkeys," Diggle murmured, looking at his fellow conspirators a little fearfully.

"We will be using brooms," Arthur replied confidently.

"But won't the magic from the brooms set off the alarms?" Doge asked reasonably. "I'm sure that there are proximity wards around the island, as well as the prison itself, that will alert the DMLE when something larger than a sea bird approaches."

"I found some obscure spells in one of Albus' books that will fool the proximity wards," Arthur stated. "The spells will make our brooms appear to be some rather large raptors, looking for a meal. Don't worry; I've taken everything possible into consideration. We will not fail."

* * *

The break in went off without a hitch. Dumbledore was amongst his most faithful Order of the Phoenix members, and they were making their way quickly out of the prison. "One moment," the old man whispered, halting everyone in their tracks.

"We haven't got time to fool around, Albus," Arthur snapped angrily, incensed that the headmaster would pick this most inopportune time to dawdle.

"We need to free Sirius Black," Dumbledore rumbled. "His cell is down this way. It will only take a few moments longer. Sirius is very aware of the importance of regaining the trust and faith of Harry Potter. He will be more than willing to help us on that score." Sighing impatiently, the men detoured down Sirius' cell block, coming to a stop before the solid steel door, in which was a small flap to allow food to be shoved into the cell. At the sounds of the rescuers fumbling at the door, Sirius' voice could be heard.

"Who's there?" the animagus rasped. He'd spent the first few days shouting and screaming, trying to get some sort of response. After a week, he'd given up, slumping into the darkened corner of his dank cell and thinking about revenge.

"Be calm, Sirius," Albus replied softly. "We are here to rescue you."

"Albus?"

"Yes, my boy," the old man reassured the animagus. "Just relax. You will be freed momentarily." They finally got the door open, and Sirius rushed out of the cell, wrapping his arms around the headmaster gratefully. "All right, now. We need to get out of here before we are found out."

* * *

"I never thought I would see this place again," Albus murmured, looking around his derelict family home with saddened eyes. "After my father died, we moved from here and to Godric's Hollow. Mother couldn't take the censure from the other villagers because of my father's incarceration, and my sister's mental illness. I am sure that everyone has forgotten about this place, and it would be the perfect hideout, so that we may make our plans to retrieve the Savior of the wizarding world." They went inside, Albus in the lead as they wound their way through the dusty halls until they came to his father's study. "We will make our plans in here."

Once the room had been adequately cleaned and the furniture repaired, they all sat around a large, round table on which Albus had laid several blank pieces of parchment. "Our main goal is the retrieval and reprogramming of Harry Potter. However, in order to do that, we will need to _eliminate_ some key players. Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape all need to die." Sirius gave a feral grin at that; he'd been anxious to mete out a little _justice_ to Snivellus since school. "I wish to also take Neville Longbottom; he is a powerful young man, who has been led astray by the Malfoys. He will need to be reconditioned, as well. Draco Malfoy will be taken and tortured. I believe that the Malfoy spawn is the reason behind Harry turning away from the Light." Something in Albus' words gave the animagus pause.

"What do you mean, reprogramming, Albus?" he asked softly.

"I mean that we need to isolate both Harry and Neville, and restructure their thinking, by any means necessary."

"I know some really good mind arts that will help to readjust the boys' thoughts," Diggle said gleefully. "We will be able to make them see things exactly as we wish them to. Of course, there _may_ be some _slight_ damage to their minds and memories, but what's a little memory loss, as long as they're obedient to _us_."

"I'm…I'm not sure that this is such a good idea," Sirius murmured hesitantly. "I don't think mucking about in Harry's mind should be the way to go."

"It's all right, Sirius," Albus reassured. "We're not going to be changing anything, per se. We're just going to _remove_ some things that shouldn't be there in the first place." Sirius subsided, listening with half an ear as the others plotted to kidnap and brainwash his former godson. _I can't go along with this_ , he thought sadly. _I was chosen to_ _ **take care**_ _of Harry. Not_ _ **hurt**_ _him. I have to_ _ **protect**_ _him, and the only way to do that is to tell someone. I'll contact Remus; I'm sure he'll be able to help, somehow.  
_

* * *

 _ **October 4, 1993**_

 _ **The Daily Prophet**_

 _ **AZKABAN BREAKOUT!**_

 _ **Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black, Loose!**_

 _Betty Braithwaite, reporter_

 _In the early hours of October 2, 1993, an escape from Azkaban was perpetrated. The human guards had just left at the end of their shift, and it was assumed that the guilty parties used the time that the Aurors took to sign out and leave the island to aid in the escape of Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black. As is routine, the wards and sirens around the prison are disabled while the human guards take their leave, and are customarily down for a half an hour. It was within this very tight time frame that the conspirators were able to aid in the escape of two of our most well-known incarcerated citizens._

 _It is unknown who was the mastermind behind the breakout, nor is it known how they arrived on and left the island, since portkeys and apparition are strictly forbidden. Proximity wards forbid anyone from approaching the island from the air, either. So the method of escape remains a mystery. Aurors have been dispatched to investigate, and all who have had contact with the escapees, or who would have some idea of their whereabouts are being questioned. As soon as we have more information, we will be happy to provide it._

"Oh, Merlin," Neville murmured as he stared at the paper, aghast. Harrison turned to his friend curiously. Longbottom slammed his hands over the paper, staring at the raven with a guilty expression. Seeing the reaction, the emerald eyed teen quirked an eyebrow and held out his hand. Sighing resignedly, Neville handed over the paper, watching with concern as Harrison read the article.

"They're out," the raven mumbled, showing the article to Draco. "It's a safe bet that they'll be after me. It's also a good assumption that my father, my dad, and Lucius won't be safe, either."

* * *

 _Moony,_

 _I know that my contacting you is probably a shock, but I have something important to talk to you about. Meet me at the Shrieking Shack. Bring a pensieve, and the Aurors if you feel you need to. I would also like some memories. Any that you and Harry would be willing to share. Just…let me tell you what I have to before you have me arrested._

 _Padfoot  
_

* * *

Remus arrived with a shrunken pensieve in his pocket, and a strongly disillusioned Tom Riddle in tow. They entered the shack, where they found Sirius, standing beside a rickety wooden table. There was fear in his eyes, but there was also determination. "I'm here, Black," the werewolf snapped. "What do you want?"

Sirius flinched at the rough way his once-lover spoke to him, then shrugged his shoulders guiltily. "I wanted to tell you what Albus has planned for Harry." At the narrowed eyes of the werewolf, the animagus continued. "Albus wants to kidnap Harry and Neville and brainwash them. He wants to remove all the memories Harry has of his father, and his life with Riddle. He thinks that this will change Harry back into the obedient puppet he thought he had from the beginning. He also intends to kill Riddle, Malfoy senior, and Snivellus. He wants to kidnap the Malfoy spawn and torture him. He blames the little Malfoy for turning Harry against the Light. He'll execute his plans in a fortnight."

"Why are you telling me this, Black? I thought that would be what you _wanted_ ; to be able to have _Harrison_ permanently in your life."

"Look," Sirius said pleadingly. "I would love nothing more than to have _Harry_ back in my life. Not at the expense of his mind. Not at the expense of his _soul_. What Albus has planned would turn him into nothing more than a mindless automaton. I don't rightly understand _why_ Harry has become this way. I'm hoping that the memories I'd like you to share with me will help me understand better. Please?" The werewolf glared at his one-time lover for a long while, trying to get a measure of the man. Finally, huffing out a quiet sigh, he pulled the pensieve from his pocket, enlarging it and setting it on the table.

"I'm going to show you several sets of memories," the werewolf said, pulling out prepared vials. "They will be going in chronological order, and _you_ get _no say_ in what they contain." He uncorked the first vial and dumped it into the basin, stepping back to give Sirius a little space. Grimacing and unsure what he was about to see, he nevertheless plunged his face into the bowl, leaving Remus watching him carefully.

"I am surprised that Black came to us with this," Tom murmured in the werewolf's ear.

"I am, too," Remus replied, watching the Black Lord carefully. "Perhaps there's more to Sirius than we first thought."

"Perhaps," was the noncommittal response.

* * *

 _Sirius looked around, startled at the familiarity of his surroundings. It was Hogwarts, and he and his friends were standing in front of Severus Snape. With a flick of his wand, James had the Slytherin suspended in the air, upside down, with his robes around his head. His underpants were threadbare and yellowed, and had several holes in them. The watching animagus grimaced at the obvious lack of care to the gangly teen; he saw several raised scars on Snape's legs; one in particular started just above his knee and wound up his thigh and into the leg of the underpants. Sirius could only guess at where it ended, and he grimaced at the thought of someone cutting so close to_ _ **there**_ _. The animagus then flinched at the venom that had spewed from his and James' mouths, and it was only then that he realized that he was as nasty as they came. He'd always held himself apart from the rest of his family; he thought he was somehow far_ _ **superior**_ _to them. This display, however, brought home to him in bitter clarity that he wasn't so far removed from his family after all. That this was no different from his family's practices of muggle-baiting. As the memory faded, he felt shame course through him, realizing for perhaps the first time, that he was his mother's son, after all._

"That was unpleasant," Black muttered grudgingly. Remus stepped forward and retrieved the memory, replacing it with the next one. Scowling, Sirius took a deep breath and plunged his face back into the bowl, bracing himself for what he was about to see.

 _Sirius watched, stunned, as his best friend in the whole world slapped his wife across the face,_ _ **hard**_ _. "You will_ _ **never**_ _contradict me like that again," he snarled harshly. "He's_ _ **my**_ _son, and_ _ **I**_ _have final say in who is his godfather. If you so much as try and fight me on this again, I will tell the Ministry that Remus is an unregistered_ _ **werewolf**_ _. I will make_ _ **sure**_ _that he_ _ **never**_ _has a minute of peace again. Do you want that on your conscience?" At the negative shake of her head, James became concerned, a smug grin on his face. "Here, let me take care of that," he murmured, wand out and healing the massive bruise he'd put on her face. "Now, you need to stop making me do things like that," he whispered as he held his wife close. "I love you so much. I'll make it up to you. I promise."_

" _That_ memory was found in Harrison's heritage vault, along with a few others and a suicide note," Remus snarled angrily, amber eyes flashing for a moment. "All of them were provided by Lily, as an explanation for why she would choose to take her own life. It never came to fruition; I was able to talk to her, and help her see that killing herself wasn't the answer, and that it would leave Harrison alone, with James. It was _that_ idea that had kept her from acting on her plans."

"I…I didn't know," Sirius whispered, looking pleadingly at his one time lover. At the doubtful look, he reiterated, "I honestly didn't know. If I _had_ known, I would've turned down the offer to be Harry's godfather." That memory was removed, and another took its place. Eyes down, and feeling shame course through his body as he realized how much he really _didn't_ know about James, he plunged his face into the pensieve.

 _Sirius crouched in a small, cramped space. He looked around, panicked for a moment, thinking himself back in Azkaban. He heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed the odd-shaped wooden door in front of him, so he calmed his racing heart and took another look around. Beside him sat a thin mattress, which looked to be stained with old sweat and blood. A ratty towel provided little protection against the cold, and there was no pillow. He seemed to be crouching_ _ **through**_ _something that appeared to be some sort of bucket or canister of some type. In the farthest corner of the small space was a child of no more than four. The boy was hunched over, arms wrapped around his knees. His skin was littered with bruises and cuts, and he looked like he hadn't bathed in more than a week. His hair was lank and greasy, and hung in ratted knots on his head. The child finally lifted his face, and Sirius sucked in a pained breath as brilliant emerald eyes pierced into his soul._ _ **Harry**_ _, he thought miserably. His agonized contemplation was interrupted by the loud pounding of what sounded like elephants on the stairs overhead. Dust filtered down into the small space, and a few spiders were knocked from their webs, scuttling for hiding places just as the small wooden door was wrenched open._

" _Get out here now, freak, and make our breakfast," the fattest man Sirius had ever seen bellowed. Harry scurried quickly to the door and out, scampering to the kitchen before his uncle could lay a hand on him. Sirius crawled from the cramped space and stood in the hallway, staring as his four year old godson dragged a stool before the cooker. He struggled to lift the cast iron skillet to the stove, but lost his grip. The pan hit the floor with a resounding crash, and the fat man advanced on the now cowering child, arm swinging out and knocking the boy from the stool. Harry fell heavily against the cabinets, mouth bleeding from the slap to his face. He slid down and threw his arms over his head, trying to weather the blows that continued to rain down on his little body; all the while the muggle screamed foul epithets at the cowering child, who had made no sound. Sirius_ _ **knew**_ _that the four year old had to be in tremendous pain from the brutality of the abuse, but the child's silence spoke to the frequency of the treatment, and Sirius' heart broke a little at the thought that his precious godson had been raised with absolutely_ _ **no**_ _love whatsoever._

"Harry," the animagus whispered once he exited the basin. "My poor Harry." Remus once again stepped forward, removing the memory and replacing it with yet another. Sirius flinched away from the pensieve as if it had teeth, unshed tears glimmering in his eyes. "How much more do I have to see?" he asked plaintively. There was no answer; Lupin looked implacably at the other man, arms crossed over his chest. Sighing despondently, Sirius once again plunged his face into the basin.

" _We're gonna get you, freak," a loud, childish voice shouted. Sirius turned in time to see his seven year old godson speed by him, four bigger boys in hot pursuit. Running to keep up, Sirius watched as the boys cornered Harry in a dead end alley. The child turned, eyes enormous in his thin face and panic deep within their emerald recesses, but a resigned look on his face as the fattest one advanced, a malicious, cruel smirk on his face. He punched Harry in the face, knocking him to the pavement. It was the signal to the rest of the gang, and they advanced, throwing punches and kicks to the smaller child's body. The nastiest, meanest things Sirius had ever heard spewed from their mouths, and the animagus heard more than one bone break under the assault. Harry never screamed, and he barely made a sound as each blow connected. He had learned early on that the more noise he made, the longer the punishment lasted._

 _Finally, having grown bored with the game, the boys left, the fat one delivering one last punishing kick that cracked two ribs. Harry lay on the pavement, panting harshly and holding his arm against his side to try and keep the ribs still. It took some effort, but the child was finally able to lift himself from the ground, and he staggered home, dripping blood from several places. He entered the house and froze as he saw his aunt standing in the hallway. She took one look at him and screeched, cursing him for messing up her nice, clean house. A slap to his face and a barked order sent the child to his cupboard, where he lay, whimpering softly in pain._

"No more," Sirius pleaded, openly crying now. "I can't take any more." Indifferently, Remus pulled that memory and placed the very last one into the pensieve. Sirius balked; he didn't want to see any more of the torture his godson had undergone. A glare from the werewolf had him shuffling to the basin and plunging his face into it.

 _Tom and Harrison were sitting in the library, each with a book in his hands. Harrison looked healthy and happy. He'd filled out on the plentiful good food provided by his house elf, and he showed a quiet confidence that he'd lacked in first year. He put the book down in his lap and looked at his father for a moment. Feeling eyes on him, Tom raised his head, quirking an eyebrow in curiosity at the look on his son's face. "Do you regret it?" was not what the older man had expected, and he frowned, puzzled._

" _Do I regret what?" he asked softly._

" _Do you regret reabsorbing your horcruxes? Do you regret adopting me?" Tom dropped the book on the table beside his chair and opened his arms wide. Needing no further encouragement, the child rose from his seat and quickly crossed the room, curling up in his father's lap. Arms wrapped around him, cuddling him close as Tom leaned his head on Harrison's._

" _I have some regrets," the man answered softly, rubbing his hand over his son's back gently, "but not about_ _ **this**_ _. I regret losing myself to dark magic. I regret that I never actually took the time to learn how to_ _ **live**_ _. I regret feeling afraid nearly my whole life. I regret all the sins I had committed to obtain empty immortality. I regret hurting those I have come to love so dearly. I regret that I was too blind to see the_ _ **proper**_ _way to fix the wizarding world. But most of all, I regret killing your parents and causing you unimaginable pain. I cannot regret the results of my actions, however, for if your parents hadn't have died, I never would've known a son's love. I never would've felt this overwhelming peace and_ _ **rightness**_ _of being your father. I never would've loved someone more than I love myself. Selfish, I know, but I cannot change the fact that the Fates had aligned things this way for a_ _ **reason**_ _._

" _You are my world, Harrison. Never forget that. Never doubt that. I bless the Fates, every single day, for gifting me with you. You have made me whole; complete. I love you, my son, and am so very proud of you. You are everything I could've ever hoped for, and never knew I had wanted, until you came into my life. I want you to know that there is nothing I would not do for you; nothing I would not_ _ **get**_ _for you, if it meant your happiness."_

" _I love you, too, Father," the child choked out, arms wrapping tightly around Tom's neck. "I am very blessed; I got to_ _ **pick**_ _who I wanted for a father. I know I didn't start out loving you. I saw you as a way out, at first. But when you came to get me, and you started showing me what it meant to be someone's son, I grew to love you more and more every day. It wasn't just the material things; I'd gone most of my life without them, so they were unimportant to me. It was the kindness, the care, the concern that I cherished. It's the desire to show me the world, and share your vast well of knowledge with me. It's_ _ **you**_ _, inviting me into every aspect of your life, and sharing all of that with me. Treating me like I_ _ **matter**_ _; like I'm an intelligent, contributing member of the family. Showing me that I'm_ _ **important**_ _; that I'm loved just the way I am. You have no expectations of me, and it's_ _ **liberating**_ _."_

 _Sirius watched as the house elf that had attacked him popped into the room. From the way the shadows lay in the room, it looked to be several hours later. Both father and son had remained cuddled up with each other, sharing quiet conversation. Sirius bowed his head, understanding completely just how much different from his expectations his former godson was. It was this realization that finally brought home to him that Harrison was_ _ **not**_ _his godson; this child had grown under the most oppressive circumstances Sirius had ever seen. Not even his_ _ **own**_ _family could compare._

"You're right," Sirius murmured as he exited the pensieve. Remus stepped forward and collected the memory, shrinking the basin at the same time and pocketing it. "Harrison Salazar Riddle is not the son of James Potter. I see a lot of Lily's loveliness in him, though. I'm…I'm sorry, for everything. I didn't realize how much of a bastard I really _was_ growing up. It shames me to realize just how like my family I truly _am_. I can tell you where Albus is hiding. I just hope that you and yours can show me a little mercy. I never wanted things to end up like this, but I know that all that happened to me was my fault, entirely."


	24. Chapter 24

**Twenty-four**

 _ **October 9, 1993**_

 _ **The Daily Prophet**_

 _ **ESCAPEES CAUGHT!**_

 _ **Dumbledore, Black and cohorts arrested!**_

 _Betty Braithwaite, reporter_

 _Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Arthur Weasley, Elphias Doge, Mundungus Fletcher, Sturgis Podmore, and Didalus Diggle have been arrested. Dumbledore and Black will face charges of escape, to be added on to the charges they've already been tried for, and Diggle, Weasley, Doge, Fletcher and Podmore will face charges of aiding and abetting an escape, breaking into Azkaban, and there may be further charges pending for the group, which may include kidnapping, murder, and possibly mind manipulation. The Aurors are frustratingly tight-lipped; however, anonymous sources state that there was evidence found at their hideout that indicates a plot to abduct Harrison Riddle, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy, as well as the plans for the murders of Tom Riddle, Severus Riddle, and Lucius Malfoy. We will keep you updated as information becomes available.  
_

* * *

"This session of the Wizengamot will now come to order," Madam Bones barked as she banged her gavel. Silence eventually fell over the gallery, Harrison and Tom seated in the front row. "Bring the prisoners in," she continued, and waited as Elphias Doge, Didalus Diggle, Arthur Weasley, Sturgis Podmore, and Mundungus Fletcher were led into the courtroom in chains. They stood before the bench, heads down. "I am going to try you all at the same time," she stated, "since you all are accused of the same crime. Bring the witness." Through the door came Sirius Black, who was, himself, in chains. He looked at the gallery for a moment, eyes widening when he saw Harrison and Tom in the front row, their eyes shuttered and emotionless masks on their faces. Head hanging, ashamed for his part in the proceedings, he entered the witness box, where he outlined the complete plans that Dumbledore and the rest had hatched to abduct Harrison Riddle, Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy. He explained the reasoning behind the plans, as well as the murder plot against Tom and Severus Riddle and Lucius Malfoy. He laid bare every secret spoken of, in no way trying to absolve himself of any blame. When he was finished, he was escorted back into the small room behind the bench.

"I sentence each one of you to fifty years in the maximum security wing of Azkaban. Furthermore, you will serve an additional ten years of probation, once released. You must see your probation officers once a week for the entire ten years. Afterward, you will be paroled, and I _hope_ you will have learned your lesson. Take them away." She banged her gavel again as the prisoners were led away. "I will now deal with Albus Dumbledore." The old man was, once again, led into the courtroom in chains, his head high. "I have no need to hear testimony from you, old man," the head of the Wizengamot snarled viciously. "I've heard enough from one of your cohorts. For your escape, you will serve another ten years. For your plot to kidnap three Heir-Lords, you will serve _twenty_ years, _each_. For your plot to murder Lord Riddle and his spouse, as well as Lord Malfoy, an additional _fifty_ years, _each_. You will be incarcerated in isolation, with a Dementor guard at all times. It is my hope that you never see the light of day again." She slammed her gavel on the rail hard enough to crack it, and the guards led the struggling old man away. "Now, the issue of Sirius Black." The animagus was led back into the courtroom to face the judges. "Before I pass sentence, Lord Riddle wishes to address the court." Tom stood, and Sirius flinched away from the cold ruby eyes that stared at him. He was, therefore, stunned at what he heard.

"Madam Bones, distinguished judges of the Wizengamot, thank you for allowing me to speak. I respectfully request that all charges, both actual and pending, be dropped, and that Sirius Black be placed under house arrest, to be served in Slytherin Keep, with my son and I. It was because of Black's information that we were able to halt the nefarious plan of the headmaster's before it could be realized. My son's godfather has spoken at length with Black, and has assured me that he has had a change of heart. Black was unaware of Harrison's prior treatment at the hands of his previous caretakers, and he was also unaware of just how deep my relationship with my son truly is. Through the sharing of memories, we were able to show Black that all was not as he had believed it to be.

"Harrison would like to get to know Black. He wishes to understand his birth father better, and since Black was James Potter's best friend, he would be an invaluable source of information for Harrison. I believe that, with the information provided to him, Black has finally understood and accepted that Harry James Potter is no more. He has, however, expressed a desire to get to know Harrison Salazar Riddle better, and hopes to cultivate a closer relationship with my son. Harrison feels the same way. I see no harm in allowing this; I would like my son to know of his ancestry and family history, and Black would be a great source for that." Tom sat down to shocked silence; then the noise erupted as every person in the gallery spoke at once. Words like 'honor' and 'grace' and 'kindness' were heard, and a fair few women were in tears at the heroic display of forgiveness. Sirius' eyes were wide on the Riddle lord, shimmering with unshed tears. At the slam of the gavel, he jumped and squeaked, turning to stare up at the Wizengamot fearfully. In spite of Riddle's kind words, there was still a great chance that he would be going to Azkaban for a very long time, and, deep in his heart, he knew he'd deserve it.

* * *

"Welcome to Slytherin Keep, Sirius Black," Tom murmured as they stepped from the floo. The animagus was granted conditional house arrest. Though Amelia Bones didn't think that Sirius deserved another chance, she _did_ understand the mental anguish the unregistered animagus had endured during his illegal incarceration in the Dementor prison. She also felt that Lord Riddle, being the injured party in all of this, should have the final say in the disposition of Black. There would be a member of the DMLE that would come in once a month and check up on his progress. A monitoring anklet would keep tabs on his movements, and Tom Riddle was expected to submit a weekly report on Sirius' progress toward a more stable mental status. The Mind Healers at St. Mungo's did their best for him; however, the damage done to his psyche from a very early age, at the hands of his domineering mother, had left deep scars that would take a much longer time to heal. It was hoped that being surrounded by familiar, nonjudgmental faces would help to soothe the wounds. "As you know, I am bonded to Severus Snape. He is my husband, and Harrison's dad. I expect you to treat him with respect and cautious regard. The old school rivalry between the two of you ends today. I have already spoken with Severus, and he has agreed to put the past behind him. I expect you to do the same. If I get one _hint_ that you've been less than cordial with my husband, you _will_ suffer the consequences."

"Un-understood," Sirius stammered, eyes wide. Even though Tom Riddle wasn't Lord Voldemort anymore, he was still damn terrifying.

"Good. I will assign a house elf to you, and Harrison will take you to your rooms."

"This way, Mr. Black," the teen said softly as he started up the stairs. Sirius followed meekly behind, not wanting to do anything that would cause the child in front of him to hate him. They were silent as they traversed the hallways until they came to a pale, wood paneled door. "Place your hand on the door, Mr. Black, so that your magical signature may become part of the protections of the Keep." Sirius complied, feeling the magic taste his own, before the door snicked open. He entered the suite and stopped dead, eyes wide.

The very large, partitioned room was done in Gryffindor red and gold. There were pictures of he and his friends on the walls and dressers and tables, showing them in various stages of activity at Hogwarts. Some were of pickup quidditch matches, while others were of easier times, with everyone laughing at some of the rather wretched puns and jokes Sirius was fond of spouting. There were also pictures of softer moments between he and Remus, the love in the werewolf's eyes causing the animagus' heart to squeeze painfully in realization of all that he'd lost in his stupidity.

There was a school banner for the Gryffindor quidditch team, as well as a couple of Gryffindor scarves wound around the headboard of the bed. He turned slowly and stared at the teen, gobsmacked. "We thought you'd like to have a bit of your past in here," Harrison said, smiling. "Remus told us that Hogwarts was like home for you, and that you felt freer there than anywhere else, including my birth father's manor. Father and I thought to remind you of all of the good times you had at Hogwarts; that not everything had to be tarnished by a few poisoned memories. We want you to be happy here, and couldn't think of a better way to achieve that."

"Thank you," Sirius husked quietly. "Would…would it be all right to talk to you? I mean, I'd like to take some time to get to know you better. I remember you as a baby. You were always smiling and laughing, and your mum doted on you so. I want to hear about all of the changes you've been through, that made you the strong young man I see today." The animagus grinned sheepishly and rubbed a hand through his dark hair. "I guess I should apologize to you, for trying to hurt you, even though that wasn't my intention. I loved you so much when you were tiny. I was very proud to be named your godfather, but I would've turned it down in a heartbeat if I'd have known how James 'talked' Lily into allowing it. Then I threw away the chance to take care of you by going after that rat bastard. You know what they say; hindsight is always 20/20."

"I would like that," the raven answered shyly. "I _do_ remember your wonderful barking laughter. Unfortunately, I have to get back to school, but I'm home every weekend. We'll arrange a day-trip for this coming Saturday. Oh, before I forget. Father has arranged the return of most of your properties and the rest of your money. Um, we…we gave Grimmauld Place and the manor in the Forest of Dean to Remus, as well as h-half of your v-vaults." Harrison flinched away from the man, fearing some sort of punishment for practically stealing from him.

"Thank you," Sirius replied with a smile. "I could never get the damn werewolf to accept _anything_ from me. Even with half of my inheritance, it still leaves me with a substantial amount of galleons, and I still have a great many properties to my name. I was actually considering setting up a few of them as magical orphanages. After seeing how you were brutalized growing up, I'd hate to see any other magical child treated like that. I thought I'd take in orphans, as well as muggleborns who are being mistreated."

"That's an excellent idea," Harrison enthused, making the animagus flush with pleasure at the pride shining in the teen's eyes. "I know Father was looking into doing something similar; this could be a good way for the two of you to get to know each other, and for you to get to know Dad better."

"About that," Sirius said hesitantly. "Erm…how did you and Sniv-er…Severus get so friendly with each other?"

"It wasn't easy," the raven replied with a small glare for the near-insult. "Dad hated me nearly on sight, because I reminded him of James Potter. I didn't know about the bullying, so I couldn't understand why he disliked me so. It was after I was adopted that Dad finally warmed up to me. We had taken a trip to the Amazon rainforest the last three weeks of vacation before my second year, and it was on this trip, while Dad was tutoring me in potions, that he finally saw that I was nothing like James. After that, we got along quite well, and discovered many similarities between the way he was raised, and the way I was raised. He's been my staunchest supporter and protector, and I love him as much as I love Father."

"Severus loves you?" Sirius asked carefully, not wanting to accept that his worst enemy in school was actually _human_ under all that greasy hair and snarky attitude.

"He does," Harrison confirmed confidently. "He's not the same person you bullied in school, Mr. Black. It took time, but he was able to put away all the enmity he felt for James, and see me as an individual, and not a carbon copy of my birth father. He's grown up. It wouldn't hurt you to do the same." Sirius acknowledged that small jab with a nod and another sheepish grin.

* * *

"Well?" Draco asked anxiously. "How did it go? I mean, I would've been there with you, but Father convinced me that you and Black needed some time alone, to adjust to each other."

"It was fine," Harrison said with a small smile. "We're actually going to take a day trip on Saturday, so we can talk everything out. You're welcome to come along. I think you should; Mr. Black needs to get used to seeing the two of us together, and if he has problems with it, it would be best to deal with them right away. I'd hate to have something like that pop up unexpectedly further on down the road."

"Agreed," the blond concurred. "What were you planning on doing?"

"I'm not really sure," the raven answered. "I don't really know much about the wizarding world, and I don't really want to spend the time in Diagon Alley, where everyone knows who I am. We'd never have any _peace_ that way."

"How about we go to Paris," Draco said after a small, thoughtful silence. "My father and mother can come along, as well. After all, mum and Black are cousins; it wouldn't hurt for them to touch base and get reacquainted with each other."

"That's a really good idea," Harrison enthused happily. "We can make it a sort of mini family vacation. Maybe if Mr. Black sees how we all interact with each other, he won't feel like an outsider as much. As well, he will get to see Dad outside of Hogwarts and away from all of the ugly memories they share with the place. This'll give Dad a chance to see Mr. Black in a different light, too."

"It's settled, then," the blond declared with a firm nod. "I'll owl Father later today. I'm sure he'll be able to make suitable arrangements for all of us." Smiling, Harrison leaned forward and brushed a kiss to his boyfriend's soft cheek, making the teen blush charmingly, silver eyes on his shoes again.

* * *

The first of the 'punishment pranks' occurred that Friday, giving Harrison and Draco much amusement and a good sendoff for their weekend. The twins had put some potion that they'd made into Ron's goblet at breakfast, which would turn his hair a Slytherin green and silver stripe. Additionally, the menaces placed a charm on his Gryffindor patch, switching it to a Slytherin one that everyone but Ron could see. Dean and Seamus were in on the prank; they'd felt that the youngest Weasley male was the major ringleader for the humiliation and bullying of Harrison and Neville when they were in the tower, and considered themselves completely justified in helping mete out a little justice. They also saw it as a form of contrite apology to the two teens for whom the vengeance was being enacted.

So, every class that the Slytherin and Gryffindor third years shared was full of snide laughter and pointing, with the two Gryffindors who were complicit in the deed shoving Ron out of the Gryffindor side of the room. "Go sit with your own House, Weasel," Seamus would often snarl, Dean smirking evilly at the green and silver haired teen. When Ron would protest, pointing to the House patch that looked like the Gryffindor one to _his_ eyes, others would sneer and make disparaging comments about his eyesight, or about his cognitive abilities. Shamed, he would take an empty seat in the back corner of the room, confused as to why everyone had _turned_ on him like that. Potions was especially amusing; Severus had been informed of the Weasel's plight, and took every opportunity to turn the screws in deeper.

When it came to Transfiguration, however, things got a bit more _tense_. McGonagall had tried to tighten up the rules and guidelines that the students had to follow; she was still smarting from the dressing down she'd received from Lupin the year before. So, thinking that she was doing the right thing, she drafted new rules that prohibited practical jokes and pranks, surmising that all pranks and jokes were just passive-aggressive forms of bullying. In her narrow-visioned, single-minded attempts to 'protect' the students, she had restricted things that would help the students relax after a long day of classes. Restricting any sort of play had done the opposite of what she had intended, and students of all years and all Houses started a friendly 'prank war', to ease tensions. It had the effect of creating more camaraderie between _all_ the Houses, and for the first time, Slytherin was included in the 'reindeer games'. As the students got to know the denizens of the snakepit, they realized that the Slytherins were no different than anyone else, and began to understand how deep the divisiveness that the former headmaster had encouraged had gone.

As Ron walked into the class, sporting his dashing new hairdo and his magicked patch, Minerva took one look at him and scowled heavily, glaring around the room at everyone. "All right," she snapped harshly, making many of the third years flinch in fear. "Just whose bright idea was _this_?" she asked, waving a frustrated hand in the Weasel's general direction. Ron jerked back at her gesture, sure for a moment that she was going to fling a hex at him. When no answer was forthcoming, and Ron had found a place at the back corner of the room, she huffed irritably. "I thought I had made it clear that there were to be no more pranks or practical jokes in this school. This is a place of _education_ , and I expect all of you to succeed in your studies. However, you cannot hope to do that if you are _distracted_ by these childish shenanigans."

Harrison stood up, instantly attracting the headmistress' attention. "Pardon me for interrupting, madam," he said respectfully, with a small bow of his head, "but I must point out that you are in a school full of _children_. We work hard all day, and study when we have the available time. However, we cannot be expected to work _all the time_. That expectation is quite unreasonable. We _need_ an outlet to relieve the stress of schoolwork. The small jokes and pranks are relatively harmless, and allow us to relieve the built up anxiety of the day. I understand your purpose; after all, finding out that some of your best students were vicious bullies had to have been hard for you. However, not _all_ pranksters are bullies; as with spells and hexes, it is the intention of the jokester, and not the joke that makes it innocent or cruel.

"Most of us, who have participated in the 'prank war' that is now ongoing, are doing it to have a little fun. We are making sure that our jokes do not get out of hand, nor are they intended to humiliate anyone. We don't want to have it said that we're just like the Weasley twins, or, worse, the _Marauders_. Many of us have reached out to the adults of the school, in an effort to have fun without causing pain. We are stringently supervised, and the 'prank war' has been acknowledged and accepted by the majority of the staff. Please understand, trying to curtail our attempts to enjoy our lives in school will only backfire, and create dissension amongst the students toward those in ultimate authority. Let us have our fun." The raven sat down to cheers and applause, which had the headmistress scowling again. It took several moments for McGonagall to get the class back under control, and after one last disgusted look toward Weasley, she turned to the board and began her lesson.

* * *

"Thanks, Harrison," Fred murmured as they sat in the library. The gang had decided to meet there after classes, to discuss the next prank and also to talk with Dean and Seamus about how to bring some of the muggle sports to the wizarding world. Their first meeting covered the types of sports that would be suitable to start, and many were debated hotly before a decision was reached. To that end, they were now in the library to discuss ways to adapt the standard equipment and rules to the wizarding world. "We heard about what you said in McGonagall's class, and we appreciate the skillful way you deflected blame."

"I don't want you guys in trouble, and if Ron found out that you were doing this on my behalf, it could get particularly ugly," the teen replied with a small smirk. "This way, he, as well as everyone else, will think that he's a victim of the 'prank war', even though he'll be the only one with a unique prank pulled on him. Just…don't go too far overboard; I don't want to see him horribly humiliated or shamed. Okay?"

"You have our word," George replied, right hand up in the air. "Most of the pranks won't even be _visible_ ; they'll be stuff only _he_ will experience."

"You guys are brilliant," Seamus said with a grin. "I'm glad that we've been invited to your party, and Dean and I will be more than happy to continue your 'punishments' after you've graduated."

"Harrison?" Fred said after some moments of silence. "Why does your father want to talk to us after graduation?"

A sly smirk graced the raven's face as he looked at the twins. "You'll just have to wait and see."


	25. Chapter 25

**Twenty-five**

Everyone landed in the portkey room near the French Ministry of Magic. Tom had gone to their own Ministry, to discuss the plans for the day trip, and to secure special dispensation for Sirius Black, so that he would not be perceived to be trying to 'escape'. The monitoring ankle bracelet had been keyed with a spell to allow him to travel to Paris without it going off and inflicting punishment for leaving the British magical world. As soon as they returned to London, the spell would be removed, returning the anklet to its intended purpose. The animagus looked around with wide eyes as they left the travel room and entered the busy Paris boulevard. The Champs-Elysees was off in the distance, while to the right, in the mists, stood the spire of the Eiffel Tower. "I've never been to Paris," Black murmured, grey eyes wide with excitement. "I've heard loads about its nightlife, but I never had the chance to actually come here and experience it for myself."

"Perhaps, after you've been released from house arrest, you would join Severus, Remus, Tom and I in a boy's night out here," Lucius murmured quietly. Because Harrison had wanted everyone to get along, Lucius had put away his enmity for the last remaining Head of House Black, and was willing to make every effort to accept Sirius. He would reserve judgment until such time as he saw how things would go. Narcissa was tickled to have her cousin Sirius back in her life; he was her favorite cousin, and she had missed him terribly.

"I…I would like that, Malfoy," the animagus answered quietly with a nod of his head. "Thank you."

"We are family, Black," Lucius replied with a small smile. "You have my permission to call me Lucius."

"Call me Sirius, then, or Padfoot. Whichever you would be most comfortable with." Sirius turned to the Potions Master, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I want to apologize to you, Snape," he began, surprising the dark man, whose ebon eyes had widened with shock. "I never really understood, until I saw that Hogwarts memory from the outside, just how much like my family I truly _was_. Even though I put in every effort to try and distance myself from them, even so far as to being sorted into Gryffindor, deep down I was as much my mother's son as _Regulus_ was. There was absolutely no _difference_ between the way I treated you, and the way my family reveled in muggle-baiting. I have no excuses, and I hope that you can some day forgive me."

"Thank you, Black," Severus replied after getting over his shock. "And it's Riddle now. Your apology is accepted, and you may call me Severus if you wish."

"Thank you, Severus. I'm Sirius. I don't believe we've met." The animagus stuck his hand out, and Severus eyed it warily before cautiously taking it. The dour man's shoulders relaxed when he felt no prank, and they shook like men before smirking at each other. Remus smiled at his former lover, relaxing for the first time since he'd met the animagus at the Shrieking Shack three weeks ago. He would never regain the total devotion to Black that he'd held since their days at Hogwarts, but he was hoping to cultivate a deeper friendship with the other man. Thorfinn Rowle and the werewolf were making progress in their relationship; the help that Remus had offered the Hit Wizard to 'contain' Greyback and his pack was invaluable, and served to bring them closer in the guise of 'mutual goals'. In fact, after Remus returned from this trip, he and Thorfinn had a date. The lycanthrope felt like a young cub again, excited for his life in a way that he'd never been before, and it was all due to Harrison and his father.

* * *

"Can we talk, Harrison?" Sirius asked quietly. They were poolside at the lavish, exclusive wizarding spa and resort for which Lucius had made the reservations; Harrison was sitting at a table, reading a book whilst everyone else was in the pool, playing 'Marco Polo'. The raven looked up at Padfoot, nodding his head and marking his place in the book before closing it and setting it down beside his empty plate. Sirius sat and eyed the teen for a moment. "Why aren't you in the pool with everyone else?"

"I don't know how to swim," the boy answered with an embarrassed flush. "The Dursleys took Dudley for lessons at the local swim club, but left me with Mrs. Figg and her twenty disgusting, mangy cats. I was never permitted to enjoy the same things as _he_ did. The one time I actually got to go on an outing with them was when Mrs. Figg tripped over one of her cats and broke her leg. Since there was no babysitter, I was allowed to go to the zoo with the Dursleys and Piers Polkiss on Dudley's birthday. I wasn't allowed food or drink, and only got a lemon ice while everyone else enjoyed big ice cream cones, but it was, for a while, one of the best days of my life up to then." A malicious gleam lit the emerald orbs looking at the animagus, and Sirius shuddered briefly at the vindictive light in them, which resembled some of the vindictiveness he'd seen in James. _Merlin,_ he thought, _I never realized how vicious James really_ _ **was**_ _until now_. "The best part, though, was in the reptile house. We were in front of the python enclosure, watching this beautiful Brazilian boa constrictor. He was napping, but Dudley and Piers kept pounding on the glass and trying to get him to do something, even though there was a sign on the window, clearly asking the patrons _not_ to tap on the glass.

"I rolled my eyes, and the boa raised his head and made some odd gestures toward Dudley and his friend after they had gotten bored and walked away. I grinned and nodded; I understood _completely_ what the snake was saying. So I started talking to him. Dudley took that moment to notice the boa was moving around, and called his friend over. Needless to say, the whale made himself obnoxious, to the point that he knocked me down so he could be the center of the snake's attention. Suddenly the glass vanished and Dudley fell into the enclosure. The boa fled the scene, telling me goodbye as he slithered past me. I had to fight to keep from laughing out loud, but it was the best thing to _ever_ happen to that bloated tub of lard. The fun didn't last, though. On the way home, Piers told the Dursleys that I was talking to the snake. When we got home, I was beaten severely and locked in my cupboard without food for nearly a week."

"Merlin," Sirius whispered, pale and shaken. "What did you do about going to the bathroom?"

"I had a bucket," the teen replied matter-of-factly. "I was locked in there often, usually for several hours, and sometimes days. They wouldn't let me out to use the facilities, but they were _kind_ enough to give me a slop bucket. When I was released, I was responsible for emptying it and cleaning it out, as well as the commode when I finished emptying my bucket. I actually sneaked rolls of toilet paper into the cupboard, usually under one of Dudley's shirts that I wore, and I would stick it in a dark corner so that I had some way to clean myself. Didn't want to have to scrub out my own shit-stained underpants; it was bad enough that I had to do _theirs_."

"The…the _smell_ must've been _horrendous_ ," the animagus gasped, horrified.

"It was. I covered the mouth of the bucket with coloring books when I could, and that helped a little, but it was pretty bad. Sometimes, if I concentrated hard enough, I could make a sort of breeze blow through the cupboard and disperse the stink for a while. I learned to live with it. The Dursleys, however, did not and finally realized that, should they have neighbors over, the smell would lead to uncomfortable questions. So they tossed out the bucket, and I was to knock every time I needed to use the loo."

"What about baths? Showers? In the one memory I saw, you looked like you hadn't seen the wet side of a washcloth, _ever_."

"I wasn't allowed baths or showers," the raven replied, eyes on his plate. He was happy that Sirius was making an effort to get to know him; however, he really didn't want to relive the memories that still haunted him. Sirius saw the discomfort, and was ashamed of himself for digging into something that was obviously personal and very, very painful, but he wanted to learn all he could about this child, to see and understand why he had made the choices he had, and why he wasn't more bitter and hateful toward people. "It wasn't until I was required to attend primary school that the Dursleys realized that it would reflect badly on _them_ if I was to attend school looking less than well cared for. So, they bought the cheapest soap they could, and gave me permission to use the hosepipe on the outside of the house to bathe and wash my hair."

"What about winter? You couldn't have been using the hosepipe in the _winter_."

"I assure you, I was," Harrison replied with a shrug. "I quickly grew used to the temperature of the water, and never got colds. I did nearly catch pneumonia once, but Vernon refused to take me to the doctor to get treatment, and my magic took care of the infection. I never saw a doctor for my eyes, or my teeth. Never saw one for inoculations against childhood diseases. Never saw one for the multitude of broken bones and deep lacerations, obtained from the beatings and Dudley's games of 'Harry hunting'. My magic seemed to take care of most of those issues.

"I knew that the Dursleys hated me. Had hated me from the moment I was left on their doorstep with nothing but a note of explanation. However, I wasn't going to let _anything_ they did to me keep me from surviving, and _living_. When I came to Hogwarts, and saw that there was a whole other world, with people _just like me_ , I was _thrilled_. _Finally_ , a place where I _belonged_. But then, all the ruckus and hullabaloo started about me being 'the Savior of the wizarding world', 'the Chosen One', and 'The Boy Who Lived', and I never really got the chance to explore who I _wanted_ to be."

"Who is that, Harrison?" Sirius asked, glad for the change of subject. However, he would be having a long talk with Remus, Lucius, Severus and Tom about the Dursleys, and _soon_. "Who do you want to be?"

"Just a regular magical child, with a family that loves me and friends that are true and loyal. Someone who can walk down any magical street, anywhere in the world, and not have everyone pointing and shouting and mobbing me. Someone who wants to see the wizarding world prosper and grow and advance, but without leaving behind all of the traditions and rituals that make us who we are. Someone who loves the wizarding world and never wants to leave it."

"So, do you believe in muggle domination and extermination, like your father?"

Harrison laughed good and long over that question, until tears sprung from his eyes. Sirius huffed, flushing a little, with a feeling that he'd stepped in it, but _good_. Finally, the teen was able to get himself under control, and he looked at the animagus with fond exasperation. "You've been listening to too much of that old fool's rhetoric. Father doesn't want muggle domination; he knows just how pointless and hopeless that goal would be. There are far, far too many of them, compared to wizards, and they would annihilate us without breathing hard. The same with extermination. No. Father and I wish to integrate the muggleborns more fully into our society. We need to educate them to our ways and traditions, so that they could understand us better, and not want to turn the magical world into the muggle world. We also need to educate the magicals to the muggle world, so that they could better understand the muggleborns, and see them as valued and valuable members of magical society, instead of the 'sub-humans' that they see them as right now.

"Too many magicals see muggles as unintelligent animals, easily overtaken and subdued. They see the lack of magic as a lack of power and strength. They are completely unaware of the rapidly advancing technologies in the muggle world that render much of what our magic can do as obsolete. So, Father and I want to have some of those technologies adapted to the magical world. We believe that our world could benefit greatly from some of their inventions, like computers, and televisions, and cell phones. Including some of these technologies will open greater opportunities for employment and education in our world. As well, the twins, Draco, Neville, Seamus, Dean and I are discussing adapting some muggle sporting events to our world. We already have magical boxing leagues, which the squibs succeed in remarkably well.

"And that's another thing. We need to stop sending the squibs out into the muggle world. We need to keep _all_ magicals in the magical world. If we can provide the squibs with their own protected towns and communities, where they will be able to have access to magic in one form or another, I think they'd be much happier, especially if they're surrounded by others who can relate to them as people, and not as somehow _defective_. Our families won't have to be broken apart, and magicals will be able to see that having squibs in their lines is _nothing_ to be ashamed of. They are magical, and should be cherished, as _all_ magicals should be."

"Wow," Sirius whispered, impressed in spite of himself. "You and your father have thought about this a lot, haven't you?"

"We have. There _have_ to be ways we can peacefully co-exist with muggles. Even if they never learn of our magic; even if we keep our true selves hidden for the most part, we can still benefit from a symbiotic relationship with muggles, and they will benefit from us."

"That's pretty much the same kind of thing that Albus had wanted," Sirius pointed out hesitantly. "What makes you so different from him?"

"He wanted to open our borders and allow muggles and magicals to intermingle. He wanted to allow muggles to learn of magic; to share our magic _with_ them. My upbringing in the muggle world, and Father's upbringing in a muggle orphanage, as well as Severus' treatment at the hands of his muggle father, all point to the dangers of letting muggles know about magic."

"Those are isolated cases," Sirius interjected. "That can't be the norm. Muggles aren't _that_ prejudiced."

"I am afraid that they are," Severus intoned softly, startling the pair. Sirius turned and looked at the Potions Master, fighting manfully not to snicker at the pale man standing there in swim briefs. Severus quirked a dark eyebrow, smirking in amusement at the animagus. He sat at the table and continued his thoughts. "Muggles like to believe that they are good, and nonjudgmental. That they are able to put differences aside and accept everyone equally. Unfortunately, most of them are incapable of doing that. Depending on the cultural norms, or the religious dogma, or even appearance, muggles have a difficult time accepting those that are radically different from themselves. Muggle wars have been waged over religious differences, or over cultural heritage, or over differing ideologies."

"That rather sounds like the magical world," the animagus replied after a few moments of thoughtful silence. "After all, the purebloods feel that they are the true magicals, while halfbloods and muggleborns are considered 'beneath' them, and no better than muggles themselves."

"That is why Father believes that all magicals, but especially purebloods, should learn of muggles firsthand," Harrison said with a grin. "In fact, we took someone who used to be a die-hard pureblood supremacist and introduced him to the muggle world. Needless to say, it was an eye-opener for him, and now he's more willing to accept muggleborns and integrate them within our magical society."

"Oh?" Sirius queried with a quirked brow, amused. "And on whom was this grand experiment perpetrated?"

"My father," Draco chimed in as he came up to the table and sat down. Harrison stared at the blond for a while, eyeing the slight golden hue to his chest and shoulders, and watching as water dripped from his hair, which had turned bronze in the sun. Draco noticed the look and blushed, eyes dropping to the table shyly. Sirius watched the byplay between the two boys, a small frown on his face. Harrison caught the frown, and emerald eyes grew frosty, startling the animagus for a moment.

"No worries, Harrison," Sirius murmured. "I pass no judgments, nor do I have any right to say anything about your life or how you live it. I was just surprised to find out that you've fallen in love already. You're only thirteen, after all."

"I may be physically thirteen, Sirius, but believe me, I am much older than that, both mentally and emotionally." Padfoot could only nod his agreement, once again slammed with guilt at the life he'd left his former godson to, and vowing anew to help keep him happy, healthy, and, most of all, _safe_.

"So, your father, the great Lucius Malfoy, ventured into the muggle world? Voluntarily?" Sirius teased the little blond.

"Well," Draco replied with a bubble of laughter, "not exactly _voluntarily_. You see, Harrison had made a point to us that the muggles could live quite handily without magic because they'd never had it. We scoffed at the idea, and he and his father decided that we'd spend a month in the muggle world, living like muggles. It was Father and I, the Weasley twins, Neville Longbottom, Severus, Harrison, and his father. The first few days were a little rough, but once we figured everything out, we had a lot of fun learning about all of the wonderful things muggles could do, and all the fantastic inventions they had. The hardest thing to manage, though, was their form of currency. Where we have just three types of currency-the knut, the sickle, and the galleon-they have all kinds of paper and metal money, from pounds to pence, and so many different denominations. It took us a few days to understand the different monetary denominations, then another few days to figure out how to _use_ them."

"Are we telling tales, son?" came a supercilious voice, as Lucius, Tom and Narcissa joined the group. They had brought food and drinks and laid them out on the table before sitting down.

"No, Father," Draco murmured, blushing. "I was just telling Sirius about our foray into the muggle world."

"Ah," the older blond said knowingly. He looked at the animagus for a moment, a smirk on his face. "Yes. It is true. I _did_ spend three weeks living without magic. I was thoroughly against it at first; I couldn't understand how muggles could _possibly_ be relevant, not having magic like they were. It took seeing all of the marvelous ways they have adapted and _thrived_ , all without the help of magic, that made me realize that they were vastly more intelligent and creative than we _ever_ gave them credit for. A great deal stronger, as well. And, I must admit, a tad more _vicious_. I had gone into town, to do some window shopping. I am very fascinated by their technologies, and I was watching some of their television programs through a shop window. Some hooligans had accosted me, and I feared for my safety. I will tell you right now, I have _never_ felt more helpless in my _life_.

"Though I've been in some difficult situations before, during the first wizarding war, I always had a way to get out of it. But this time, without my magic, I finally realized who actually had the _power_. It was people who had no access to magic whatsoever. That, more than anything, put things into perspective for me. Anyway, I thought I was done, but then something truly remarkable happened. A man and a woman stepped in front of me and confronted the bullies. They even threatened to call the police. When that didn't work to chase them off, the woman punched one of them in the face, breaking his nose. All during this confrontation, a crowd had gathered, and three more people came out of the crowd and stood in front of me, protecting me. They finally ran the hooligans off, and I offered them compensation for coming to my rescue. They turned it down and told me that 'it was the responsibility of all good citizens to help one another, to prevent thugs like that from taking over our streets'. So, yes, I believe that the muggleborns will bring great things to our world, and help strengthen our society."

* * *

"I'm glad you're all here," Sirius said as he came into the living room of the suite in which they were staying. Harrison and Draco had already gone off to bed, tired from that day's activities, and left the adults to wind down after a busy day. "I want to talk to you about the Dursleys."

"You might wish to talk to Harrison about them, first," Tom said quietly. "He should be able to tell you more than we could."

"I've already spoken to him about his _family_ ," said with a great deal of suppressed rage, "now I want to talk to you about what we're going to _do_ about them."

"Ah," Remus sighed knowingly, "so it's _revenge_ you wish to seek."

"Don't you?" Padfoot asked incredulously. "The shit they put him through…if I wasn't wearing this damned monitoring anklet, I'd go over there and teach them a thing or two about _magic_."

"Well, that is completely unnecessary," Severus intoned solemnly. "After Tom had rescued Harrison, he sent Sandie to the Dursleys, unobtrusively, so that she could cast some house elf magic on them. They are, at this moment, in the process of slowly starving to death. The punishment is to last for ten years, the length of time that they'd starved Harrison. As well, we are plotting to cast some other spells at them, so that they lose all that is precious to them."

"Oh?" Sirius queried softly.

"Yes," Lucius replied. "You see, Hagrid had bought Harrison a snowy owl for his eleventh birthday, as a way to introduce him to the wizarding world. Harrison loved Hedwig very much; she was his first _real_ friend, and only confidant. When Harrison arrived back to their house after first year, the eldest Dursley male snapped his owl's neck and burnt her remains in a trash bin."

"Merlin," Sirius whispered, aghast.

"Yes," Tom snarled, lip curled in a sneer. "Up to that point, Harrison didn't care enough about them to want to do anything. He was willing to put up with their treatment of him, because he knew that, once he'd reached his wizarding majority, he would be able to leave, and never think about them again. When they butchered his only friend _right in front of him_ ; that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. We didn't know that he was plotting some sort of vengeance until the train ride back to school for third year. So, we're going to look into enchantments and curses that will make the Dursleys lose everything they cherish most, and make it last for the rest of their short lives."

"I want in," the animagus barked, scowling. "I may not have been there when he needed me most, but I'm here now, and I want to keep him happy and safe. If it means doling out a bit of _justice_ , I'm there."


	26. Chapter 26

**Twenty-six**

It was the end of October, and Molly Weasley's release was on Friday. Harrison had gotten reluctant special permission from headmistress McGonagall to be there with the twins. The Weasley matriarch's probation rules were simple; she was not to touch anything that could be used as potions ingredients. This left her floundering, for she loved to cook, and many of the spices and vegetables she used could possibly be used in potions. So Harrison had talked it over with his father, who agreed, and then he spoke to the twins, who had spoken to their mother. She agreed, and Harrison was at the Ministry, waiting for the woman to be released. Molly finally came out of the building, and was immediately engulfed in the twins' arms. She cried and sniffled like a baby, glad for the comfort her sons were giving her. Finally regaining control of herself, she pulled away from them to stare at Harrison.

"You're the young man that my daughter had tried to ensnare," she murmured, ashamed. "I am so sorry for my involvement with that. You see, Albus had promised me that Harry Potter would marry my Ginny. Had I known of the headmaster's attempts to destroy your happiness, I never would've participated in Ginny's attempts to subdue you."

"It's fine, Mrs. Weasley," Harrison replied with a kind smile. "No harm done. Now, if you would allow me to portkey you to Grimmauld Place, we can get started."

* * *

"My father has graciously purchased three new elves for your use, Mrs. Weasley," Harrison told the redheaded woman as soon as they had arrived. "We just need to get them bound to you, and you'll be all set."

"That's…that's very generous of him, especially considering my involvement in my daughter's attempts to entrap you."

"Father understands, better than you know, how easy it would be to be willing to do anything for your beloved child. I'm sure that, if I were to ask, he would burn the world for me. I am most precious to him, as I'm sure your children are to you. In order to keep you with them, it's necessary to provide you with assistance so that you don't end up breaking your probation. I don't want to see you going back to prison. Your children are already doing without their father; they don't need to lose their mother."

"I had heard that Arthur was in Azkaban, but I don't know _why_."

"Dad and a few of the Order of the Phoenix helped Dumbledore and Sirius Black escape from Azkaban," Fred told her, a scowl on his face. "Dumbledore wanted to abduct Harrison and Neville Longbottom, and brainwash them. They were also planning on killing Tom and Severus Riddle, as well as Lucius Malfoy. Kidnapping Draco was on the agenda too; they were planning on _torturing_ him."

"But why? Why would he help that man escape his just punishment? For that matter, why would he even _agree_ to those horrible plans?"

"Albus Dumbledore has convinced his cohorts that our world will _burn_ without the _Savior_ ," George muttered angrily. He then winced, realizing that he'd used one of the forbidden appellations. Harrison just grinned at the redhead.

"Don't worry, George," he said. "My solicitor will be informed that you were not committing any slander. The fee will be waived." He turned to Molly with a smile. "Now, since Dumbledore is back in prison and your husband is right there with him that means that something happened to foil their plans. Fortunately for me, Sirius Black wanted my happiness and safety _more_ than he wanted custody of me. It was he who informed us of the former headmaster's plans, and he also told us where we could find him and his cronies. It was this information that had gained the man a start down the road to forgiveness from both my father and I. Since then, he's been grand, and he's even getting along with _Severus_ , if you can believe it."

"My family seems hell-bent on hurting you, Master Riddle. I can only apologize for their behavior, and hope that you will not hold that against the rest of my children, or me."

"You may call me Harrison, Mrs. Weasley, and you have no need to worry. The twins have made themselves invaluable to me, and to my father, and they've become really good friends, once they realized that the 'pranks' they had pulled were just different forms of bullying. Now they're working on their pranks with volunteers, and are set to speak to my father about their particular skills set once they've graduated."

"You were able to convince them to stop bullying everyone?" Molly asked incredulously, eyes wide. "Do you have any idea how _long_ it took for their father and I to get them to stop those shenanigans at _home?_ How did you do it, if I may ask?"

"Come into the drawing room and have a seat. We'll talk about that whilst I get the transfer papers ready."

* * *

"I can't _believe_ Mum would be _happy_ for our torture, Gred," George grumbled good-naturedly.

"I _know_ , Forge," Fred replied with a dramatic sigh. "She laughed good and long over our misfortunes. Makes me wonder if she really loves us at _all_."

"I'm just happy to see that her term in Azkaban hasn't affected her too badly," Harrison said with a smile at the twins. "Did you notice? The house elves took an instant liking to your mum. She spoke to them as if they were her own children, and they flourished under that positive attention."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "Mum's like that. She mothers just about every friend we _have_. If you would've stayed friends with Ron, she would've done everything in her power to make sure you were well cared for."

"I somehow doubt that," Harrison murmured, eyes down. "She believed in the Dumbledore-sanctioned rhetoric about me, and was shocked to find out that I was _nothing_ like she'd expected me to be. She would've mothered the _Savior_ , not me. And, seeing that Dumbledore was the one to put me with those disgusting bastards in the _first_ place, 'for my own protection', I doubt she'd have spoken out against my treatment there. I doubt she'd even have _noticed_ anything, as blinded by the former headmaster as she was."

"You do have a point, mate," George agreed, frowning. "Dad and she were always going on about how great Albus bloody Dumbledore was, and what great things he would do for the wizarding world, once the Savior defeated Lord Voldemort." The redhead paused for a moment, thinking. "I wonder if maybe the headmaster had put some sort of mind control spells on Mum. Dad has always been easily led, and very weak-willed. But Mum…she was different. She was always standing up for us, and ready to do battle on our behalves. That seemed to change a little once you were introduced back into the wizarding world. She… _mellowed_ , for lack of a better term, and I wonder if perhaps that old man had tinkered with her personality in any way."

"Well," Harrison murmured softly, "we could always have Father check her over, and see if there are any kinds of blocks or active spells in her mind. I'm sure he'd be able to dispel them, and completely free her from that old coot's influence. I'll talk it over with him as soon as I can."

* * *

"Father?" Harrison murmured as he entered the Defense classroom. It was the end of the school week, and he wanted to talk about Mrs. Weasley for a moment.

"Come in, Harrison. I was just finishing up some of the sixth year essays. I must say, I am _appalled_ at the pathetic excuse for defense education that the students have had over the years."

"Well, Father," the raven replied with a chuckle, "you only have yourself to blame for that, since you were the one to curse the position in the first place."

"Right," Tom replied with an embarrassed blush at the reminder. He cleared his throat and fought back the embarrassment, ignoring the small grin his son sported. "Now, what did you have on your mind?"

"The elves have been bonded to Molly Weasley," the teen began, sitting at one of the desks close to his father. "She treated them like her children, and they instantly latched onto her. They will be good for her. Afterward, the twins and I were talking, and they had told me that she mothers all their friends, and that she would've mothered _me_ , had I remained friends with Ron. When I expressed my doubts, Fred and George seemed to take my words rather seriously. They told me that their mother never _used_ to toe the Dumbledore-sanctioned line, and that, were her children ever in peril, she would react like a mother lion would. They seem to believe that, perhaps, the former headmaster has somehow fiddled with her mind. I thought that maybe you could take a quick peek, and see if there are any spells interfering with her personality in any way."

"I could do that," Tom replied thoughtfully. "We'll invite her and her family over to the Keep for Yule, and I'll take a peek then."

"Thanks, Father," Harrison grinned happily. "You are the best."

* * *

 _July 31, 1990_

 _Dear Harry,_

 _Happy birthday, cub. I'm sorry I can't be there to help you celebrate, but Albus has sent me away again. I was so close to finding you, but Dumbledore has spies everywhere, and they told him how close I was to discovering your location, so he invented a 'mission'. When I refused to go, he threatened me with exposure. I had no choice; if the Ministry had found out that I was an unregistered werewolf, they would've put me in prison, or worse._

 _I'm sorry that you have to stay with those beastly people, but I promise you that I_ _ **will**_ _see you again. You will be going to Hogwarts next year, and it will be the perfect opportunity for me to come visit you, and see how you're doing. I have so much to share with you. Memories of your parents and your lives before the fall of the Dark Lord. I have some diaries and journals, kept by your father's ancestors, which will give you an insight into your family history. I also have information about your mum's family, as well. I want you to know just how special your parents were, and how much they were loved._

 _I'm being called away. I'll close this for now, but never fear. I will see you at school next year. I love you, cub._

 _Remus_

Harrison put the letter down, frowning in thought. He'd already gone through all the letters that Remus had saved for him, but this one he'd read at least ten times. _Remus was supposed to come visit me in my first year here. It would've meant_ _ **so much**_ _to me if he'd have come. I would've known that there was actually_ _ **someone out there**_ _who really_ _ **loved**_ _me._ Sighing, he folded the letter up and tucked it into his pocket, then left the dorm. Draco had promised to give him a little privacy; Harrison was still debating what he wanted to do about the letter, even as he walked to Remus' private quarters, near the Defense classroom. Tapping lightly on the door, he waited anxiously for the werewolf to answer.

"Harrison!" Moony yelped in surprise when he opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Did…did I come at a bad time?" the teen asked hesitantly.

"No. Of course not," Remus answered, opening the door wider and letting his godson enter. "I'm just surprised to see you here. Usually you're with Draco and Neville." He led the child to a chair and pushed him down into it before fetching tea. Once refreshments were served, the werewolf eyed his cub, concerned at the crestfallen expression. "Is there something I can help you with, cub?"

"Yes, actually," the raven answered, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the letter. Silently, he handed it to the werewolf and waited as Remus read through it.

"Oh, Harrison," the older man said as he dropped his hands to his lap, the letter lying open accusingly. "I'm so sorry. I forgot that I'd written you to tell you I was going to visit."

"W-why didn't you?" the teen asked mournfully, eyes reflecting deep pain. "I would've _loved_ to have seen you. To know that there was someone out there who _loved_ me." Remus stood and pulled the teen from his chair, then sat in it himself, tugging Harrison down into his lap. The raven snuggled into his godfather, inhaling the wild fragrance that Remus always exuded, to calm his racing heart.

"Two days before you were to come to Hogwarts, I came here and told Albus that I was going to see you when you got here. I made it very plain that I would not be denied. In fact, I was infuriated that I'd been denied access to you for so long, and the wolf was close to the surface. Albus then informed me that, once the students arrived, there would be wards put up around the school to prevent any 'dark' creatures from entering, for the students' protection, of course. He told me that the wards would outright _kill_ any 'dark' creatures who attempted to enter the castle. I wasn't sure I believed him, but I was unwilling to take the chance on my _life_ to find out. So I never came to the school to see you. I'm sorry, Harrison. I know I was being a coward, but with all of my friends gone, I had no one to support me except for Albus, and I didn't want to do anything to make him turn away from me."

"I understand, Moony," the teen whispered, pain lacing his voice. Remus wrapped his arms tightly around his godson and leaned his head on the unruly mop under his chin.

"I had no way to know the truth, and by the time I discovered that Albus had lied to me, I had all but given up on the idea that I would ever see you again. But then Sirius was freed, and he insisted on seeing you, and, well, here we are."

"Am I always going to be an afterthought for people who are supposed to love me?" Harrison asked plaintively. Remus flinched harshly as the pain-filled words stung him deeply. He flushed with shame, remembering his reaction after he'd found out that Sirius was innocent. Taking a deep breath, he decided to come clean with his godson, and hope that the teen would forgive him his selfishness.

"When I read the paper that proclaimed Sirius' innocence, I had a breakdown. I bawled like a baby for a long time. My only thoughts were on my betrayal of my lover and the loss of my best friends. I wallowed in self-pity, bemoaning my loneliness and isolation for the twelve years that Black was gone. I am very ashamed to admit that I gave absolutely no thought to you, Harrison. I didn't think about the fact that you had lost your parents that horrible night. I didn't think about the fact that your godfather had _abandoned_ you, all so that he could chase after that rat. I didn't even think about the fact that you spent twelve years with people who despised the very air you _breathed_. My thoughts were only for myself." Harrison shifted, as if he were about to stand, but Remus' arms tightened around the teen, holding him in place. After a few moments, the child subsided, though he held himself stiffly in the werewolf's embrace.

"I can apologize for not considering you in any of my thoughts," Remus continued, trying to explain. "Those of us who loved you _should have_ put in greater efforts to see you; to _connect_ with you. As children, it's easy to see the world in stark black and white. As we grow older, however, the varying shades of grey pattern our lives, and our priorities shift. We failed you, Harrison. All of us. From Sirius to your professors; from the Weasleys to me; _none_ of us considered your welfare, because we were all led to believe that you were _safe_. We allowed a single man to dictate how we were to interact with you; how we were to _treat_ you. That was a mistake, made by us all, and one that we will pay for, the rest of our lives. I can only hope that you give me the chance, and Sirius the chance, to make amends to you. Please allow us to prove to you that _you_ are the center of our world now, and that we will allow _no one and nothing_ to hurt you again."

* * *

"Padfoot?" Harrison asked hesitantly. The animagus had come to Hogwarts on Saturday for his usual weekend visit with the teen, and Harrison was intent on getting some answers from his former godfather.

"Yeah, Harrison?" he asked as he opened the door to the guest suite within the school. He stepped back and allowed the teen into his room, indicating a chair. Harrison sat and waited for the animagus to take the seat across from him before speaking.

"When you came to the school to 'reclaim' me, why didn't you believe what I had told you? What _Severus_ had told you? Why did it take my _memories_ to convince you of how I was raised?"

"Erm," Sirius mumbled, running his hand through his hair and shifting nervously, "I…I didn't believe that Dumbledore would ignore your safety and care so blatantly. I thought he'd had only your best interests at heart, and didn't think that what you had told me could possibly be true." The animagus dropped his eyes guiltily to his hands, clenched together in his lap. "I…I was set to believe that you were under some form of d-dark coercion, and weren't in your right mind. I s-saw you with Draco and Severus and Tom, and thought that they'd somehow exerted some sort of dark mind control over you. I didn't start to question Albus' intentions until after we'd broken out of Azkaban. When he started to talk about mucking about in your _head_ , I began to realize that he really _didn't_ have your best interests at heart, and that maybe I needed to find out some things for _myself_."

Sirius raised his pain-filled blue eyes to look at the child across from him. "Those memories were _brutal_ ," he continued. "Not even _purebloods_ are as cruel with their children as those disgusting bastards were with _you_. I'm…I'm sorry that it took some very personal, very painful memories to convince me that you're much better off where you are, and that the Dark isn't as evil as I had believed for so long. I thought my treatment by my _mother_ was bad; she was a fucking _saint_ compared to those muggle animals."

Sirius reached out to the teen, tugging him from his chair and into the animagus' lap. "Remus told me about your conversation," he murmured into the raven's ear, rubbing a soothing hand on the boy's back. "He was right. We'd all failed you, in one form or another. James put his faith in the wrong person, and failed to protect you and your mum. He also failed to treat Lily with any kind of respect or consideration. Remus failed to keep in contact with you; to ferret out your location and _rescue_ you, if need be. _I_ failed you when I decided that my revenge was _more important_ than your welfare.

"Your professors here failed you when they neglected to notice how poorly cared for you _really_ were. Your 'friends' in Gryffindor tower failed you when they didn't realize that you weren't what they'd been told you were _supposed_ to be. All of us, in one form or another, never noticed that you weren't the 'savior'. We never saw past the lightning-bolt scar on your forehead. Some of us are here now, however. We may be a little late to this party, but we _are_ here. We can only humbly beg your forgiveness, for as long as we live, because it's the _least_ you deserve from us, for letting you down so very badly. Remus and I, we never intended for you to be an _afterthought_. That stung, by the way. Remus was in tears when he told me what you said to him, but it's a fair question, and brutally, painfully true. You _were_ an afterthought to the both of us, because we blindly followed the dictates of the _true_ Dark Lord, instead of thinking for ourselves. Albus Dumbledore may have much to answer for, but so do Remus and I. We will spend the rest of our lives proving to you that you are _not_ an _afterthought_ anymore."


	27. Chapter 27

**Twenty-seven**

"Vince? Greg? Could I talk to you?" Harrison murmured as he came upon the pair sitting in front of the fire in the Slytherin common room. Both boys nodded and stood, following the raven to his shared dorm room. Draco was already inside, waiting for everyone to settle. He called for Dobby, who set them up with refreshments before popping away.

"Doesn't matter how many times I see that, Draco," Greg said with a small smile, "I still think it's the coolest thing ever. His uniform is great."

"Thanks, Greg," the blond chirped happily, stroking the heads of his runespoor. The egg had hatched in February their second year, but the blond had to leave the hatchling at home with Tikka, one of the other Malfoy house elves. She had needed to grow and mature before she could bond to him as a familiar; now he took her everywhere with him. He had no need to understand her hissings; the serpent and the blond had developed an instant rapport, using various signals and gestures to communicate effectively.

"What's up?" Vince asked curiously, looking at Harrison since he was the one to call the meeting.

"I was wondering if there was any way that I could meet with your fathers," the emerald eyed teen said softly. "Some friends and I got together and discussed some other muggle sports that we think would be easily adapted to the wizarding world, and I wanted to talk it over with your fathers."

"I don't see why not," Greg replied after a thoughtful silence. "Just let us know when and where, and we'll notify our dads."

"This Saturday, at Slytherin's Keep," Draco responded promptly. "Tom would like to be there for the meeting, as would Severus and my father. Additionally, there will be Neville, the Weasley twins, Seamus, and Dean as well, since it _was_ Seamus and Dean to help us work out the details for the adaptations."

"Okay," Vince murmured. "I'll send out an owl right away, and we'll see you there on Saturday."

* * *

"My Lord," both men chanted as they bowed deeply to Tom. Vince and Greg mimicked their dads, so as not to offend the Dark Lord. Tom flinched minutely at the children abasing themselves to him, embarrassed that he'd ever expected his people to regularly do that.

"None of that," he murmured with a wave of his hand and a moue of distaste on his face. "We're all friends and equals here. Lord Voldemort is dead. We are set to take the wizarding world by _legitimate_ means this time." Turning, he led the group to his den, where they all sat around a large conference table. Severus and Lucius were already there, as were the children. Taking seats, Crabbe and Goyle looked at everyone curiously, their sons grinning at their friends and glaring at the Gryffindors. Draco scowled at the hulking teens, cowing them and making them remember, with shame, that the Gryffindors were the impetus behind bringing more prestige to their fathers.

"We were told that this meeting has something to do with adapting muggle sports to the magical world," Chester Crabbe began.

"It is," Tom responded. "Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan both reside in the muggle world during their summers away from school, and keep apprised of the results of the various sporting events in that world. They got together with my son and his friends and started talking about the different kinds of sporting events that could conceivably be adapted to fit into our world. They took their inspiration from the fact that the pair of you were able to adapt muggle boxing to the magical world, and were able to prevent magic from being used to 'cheat'. So, they wish to discuss some possibilities with you, if you are amenable."

"What's first?" Luther Goyle asked curiously, looking at Harrison.

"Well," the raven replied, glancing at his friends for a moment, "we thought we could adapt a version of motocross racing to our world, using brooms. We could set up an obstacle course, sort of like the ones the motocross riders traverse, and make sure the brooms are limited in their speeds, as well as their maneuverability. The competitions would take place ten feet above the ground. There will be no lifting or lowering of the brooms; they _must_ stay within a specific airspace to compete. Deviations will result in disqualifications. Some versions of the competition will include tricks, like barrel rolls and swoops and dives and such, similar to BMX bicycle racing competitions."

"We thought bringing a steeplechase to the wizarding world could be doable," Dean picked up the conversation. "We could use smaller versions of the Abraxans for the competition, and set up midair obstacles, similar to the fence jumping and water jumping and such. Also, the winged horses could be used in actual races, just like the muggle Kentucky Derby, or the Triple Crown. The Ascot races are very popular in the muggle world, as well. For those, the horses need to be a specific height, weight, and wingspan, so that no single horse has a distinct advantage over another. As well, the riders need to be a specific size and weight; too much drag will impede the steed's ability to race effectively. The purpose of these races is to award prizes to the fastest horse and rider. If the animals all start out basically the same, it is their own training and abilities that would determine the winners."

"I'd like to see rugby brought to the wizarding world," Seamus said with a grin. "It's a very violent, very physical sport, with lots and lots of mud. This is a sport that _must_ be played on the ground, and the players need to have a specific body build and type. No magic whatsoever should be allowed for this; it would be the perfect sport for our squib population."

"We've been looking at something called the Olympics," the Weasley twins said simultaneously. "We think this would be a good way to open up our shores to other wizarding nations," George continued. "We can create a wide variety of magical Olympic events, that each nation would send their best and brightest for, in the spirit of friendly worldwide competition. We would have to get together with Masters in a variety of magical fields, to see what kinds of competitions we can develop. Also, I'd like to see some of the events that the muggle Olympics showcase brought to our world, like ice skating, gymnastics, and track and field competitions. Field archery, swimming and fencing could be adapted, as well, and the training would strengthen our bodies, especially our wand arms. We could see fencing and archery as a part of weapons and battle training, as well."

"I've seen something called tennis, and volleyball; basketball and baseball," Lucius contributed with a small smile. "Those sports are very active and intense, except for maybe the baseball, and would strengthen us as a nation. As well, the squibs would be able to participate and keep the competitions fair."

"Wrestling is another sport that the squibs would excel at," Severus said. "It is mainly about strength and flexibility, and requires no magic whatsoever. Surfing, skiing, billiards, and target shooting would add some dimension to our sports, too. Especially the billiards and target shooting. Billiards will help with hand/eye coordination, and will also help us to think in a more linear fashion. It involves the use of a muggle math called geometry to plan every shot so that you can get the ball into the pocket on the table. Target shooting will introduce us to some of the weaponry that the muggles use on a fairly regular basis. I think it is past time that we learn about the muggle weaponry available out there, and learn to _use_ it. There may come a time when we will _have_ to."

"You see," Fred picked up for his friends, "we, as wizards and witches, have become too complacent and lazy. We have our magic to do whatever it is we need done, whilst expending very little effort. When Fred, Draco, Lucius, Severus, Neville, Tom, Harrison and I went to stay in the muggle world for a month, living like muggles, we'd realized just how _easy_ we really have it. The wizarding world as a whole is horribly out of shape. Our battles are rarely of the physical kind, and though we expend a good deal of magical energy, there's no real _physical_ benefit to it. Even our _sports_ aren't as physical as they could be. So, what happens should our magic suddenly die off? How would we function, if we are too flabby to pick anything up with our bare hands?"

"We want to be relevant in the world," Neville finished for the group. "We saw how advanced the muggles really are, and how they continue to leap forward, while we remain steadfastly in place. Much of their technology far outstrips our magic, both in form and function. It would take nothing for a muggle to aim a pistol at one of us, and as we're waving our wand and blurting out that long-ass Latin spell, they're pulling the trigger. We're dead before the second syllable of that spell has even left our lips. To _survive_ , we need to learn to _adapt_. Including sporting events is a good way to start adapting."

"Make no mistake," Tom said as he saw his associates open their mouths to argue, "we are not actually _changing_ the wizarding world. We will keep our traditions and rituals; they make us who we are. We will _always_ be wizards and witches. However, because times have changed, and the muggle world advances more and more every day, we need to advance _with_ it. At this point, because we've held on to some very antiquated practices, we are so woefully far behind the rest of the living world that it's, quite frankly, pathetic. Eventually, there will come a technology that will find us. If we remain as we are, we will die. Simple as that. _But_ , if we advance and grow, and allow some of those technologies into our world, we will have a fighting chance to _survive_ , should a war from the muggles come to us."

"I see the addition of new sports, as well as some of their entertainments, as expanding opportunities to _flourish_ in the wizarding world," Draco finished for everyone. "Muggleborns come here with the idea that they will be able to have the same opportunities offered in _this_ world as they do in the _muggle_ one. When they get here, and see just how behind the times we actually _are_ , they're bitterly disappointed. I believe that they _love_ their magic; it's just that they love the wide varieties of things that they can do in the muggle world, as well. I mean, really, other than magic, what do we actually have to _offer_ them, that would encourage them to _stay_? Let's face it, we need their new, fresh blood and magic to survive and thrive. We need to reawaken old, dead lines, through the muggleborns, so that we can grow and become strong again. I _don't_ want magical Great Britain to be the only wizarding nation that remains stuck in the mud. Hell, even the smallest _villages_ are adapting to the changing world. We should, as well."

"Truer words were never spoken, son," Lucius murmured. "I'm proud of you."

* * *

"Can you _believe_ it?" Seamus enthused excitedly. They were back in the library, discussing the rules and layouts of the various sports that were to be adapted. Chester and Luther had both halfbloods bring in as many sports related magazines and books as they could, so that the men could sort through them, and perhaps gain more inspiration from them. They, being the co-supervisors in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, had offered both Thomas and Finnegan the opportunity to join their department, once they'd graduated from Hogwarts. "Just like that, our _dream jobs_ just _fall_ into our laps." The Irish teen looked at Harrison with wide, adoring eyes, making the raven blush to the roots of his hair, and causing a jealous, possessive growl to erupt from Draco, who had narrowed his burning silver eyes at the brash Gryffindor. Dean slapped a hand over the other boy's mouth, smiling sheepishly at the blond.

"Sorry about that, Draco," the dark-skinned teen said. "Anything even _remotely_ sports-related, and Seamus is creaming his jeans." The sandy-haired boy's freckles disappeared in a violent blush, and he growled unintelligible words against the hand still plastered over his mouth. Neville snickered helplessly as the twins grinned widely. Dean dropped his hand and quirked a brow at his excitable friend, a silent request for clarification.

"I _said_ , I'm not quite _that_ bad, you prat," he huffed at his dorm-mate. Turning to Harrison, Seamus continued. "I want to thank you for inviting us into your little group. If you hadn't have asked us to help, we never would've been given the opportunity to change the face of sports in the magical world."

"I remember how gone both you and Dean used to get whenever the latest football scores would be posted, or the latest cricket results. It didn't matter _what_ sport it was; you two were always going on about them. We need that kind of passion in this world, to wake it up from its centuries-long slumber. The wide world is changing, and we need to change along with it."

"Now we just need to work on expanding the entertainment opportunities in this world," Fred said thoughtfully. "I mean, we have the Weird Sisters, and Lorcan d'Eath, and Celestina Warbeck. All relatively good entertainments, but I don't see anything in the field of acting. There's no chamber music. Even _art_ exhibits are relatively rare."

"I think we should do some research," Neville murmured, eyes on the table as he spoke his thoughts aloud. "I've no doubt that some of the biggest names in entertainment are muggleborns. We can scope them out, and see which actors and actresses are actually magical. As well, I think there are some bands that are also magical. I mean, if you look at some of the stage shows, that _has_ to be magic. Right?"

"What would be the purpose of the research?" Draco asked curiously.

"Perhaps we can convince them to help us get some production companies and record labels started in magical Great Britain. They can give us pointers, and send us in the right directions. Maybe even get us into contact with the right kind of people to get all of this set up. Then we can work on changing the curriculum of the magical schools, to include classes devoted to alternative career choices. I don't know about any of _you_ , but _I_ don't want my only choice for employment to be Auror, professor, Quidditch pro, or herbologist."

* * *

"We need to _stop_ this," Cameron Richardson said to the small gathering of purebloods in the estate of Caractacus Burke, owner of Borgin and Burke's and a known pureblood supremacist. He was _infuriated_ to learn that Tom Riddle, who had worked in his shop after the boy had graduated from Hogwarts, was turning his back on those purebloods who had supported him, both financially and politically, to ensure that the mudbloods and halfbloods knew their place. When he'd heard that a grassroots revolution was in the making, he'd volunteered his securely protected manor for meetings. "We can't let Voldemort ruin _everything_ we'd worked so _hard_ for."

"Well what do you suggest we _do_?" Josephine Blishwick moaned loudly. "He's got the entire _Ministry_ behind him, as well as some of the most influential of the sacred twenty eight. We only have _Borgin_ behind us, and he's fallen out of favor since those questionable artifacts showed up in his shop."

"We could take that bastard he'd adopted," came a new voice from the darkness. The man walked into the light, and every eye widened. "Since he's adopted the Savior of the wizarding world, he's _changed_ ," Buster Brown continued. "That halfblood has some sort of unnatural hold over our Lord, and it is up to _us_ to help him." The slander was registered, and a galleon came out of Brown's account. When he received his statement later that month, his eyebrows were permanently in his hairline when he saw the notation 'legal fees' next to the withdrawal of the single galleon.

* * *

"Something's coming," Sirius murmured, his hackles raised. "Something _bad_." He flooed Tom's office at Hogwarts, waiting impatiently for the man to answer. It took several minutes, and during that time Sirius' spidey senses had ratcheted up to a full red alert. Finally, Riddle was at the floo, eyebrow quirked in puzzlement.

"Black? Why are you flooing me?"

"Something's coming," Sirius repeated to the former Dark Lord. "There's something in the wind, coming for my pup. I don't know what it is, but I can _feel_ it."

"All right, Sirius," Tom replied, worried. "What does it feel like?"

"Like an oppressive weight has settled over my heart," the animagus answered, shivering. "Like I can't get enough air in my lungs."

"Come through," Tom barked, suddenly very concerned. "I'll have Severus, Remus, Harrison, Neville and Draco waiting in my quarters. We'll talk about it there." Nodding, Sirius shut down the floo for a few moments, then reopened it, stepping through the fireplace and into Riddle's office. As soon as he shook the soot from his robes, he stalked to the door that led to the professor's quarters, tapping once before striding through the door.

"Hi, Sirius," Harrison said softly, smiling at his honorary uncle. Tom didn't fully trust the animagus enough to make him godfather; uncle was as close a relationship as the Dark Lord would allow. Sirius was fine with that; he knew that he'd had a lot to answer for, and was willing to wait for the other man's trust.

"Hey, pup. Anything unusual happen to you lately?" the animagus asked softly.

"Not that I can recall," Harrison answered, puzzled.

"You got a letter from someone," Draco murmured, reaching his hand into a robe pocket and pulling out the crumpled missive. "It had a portkey spell on it, as well as some rather Dark curses. Ares brought it straight to me, but wouldn't let me touch it until I checked it. I was able to disable the spells." He paused and looked at Tom for a moment, "Thanks for the extra lessons, Tom. Anyway, I disabled the spells and read the letter." The blond flushed scarlet, fury glimmering in his silver eyes. "It _appears_ to be from an _admirer_." He thrust the letter into the raven's hand angrily, then turned his back. Confused, Harrison opened the crinkled parchment and read the letter.

 _My dearest Harrison,_

 _I hope I'm not intruding on anything important, but I just_ _ **had**_ _to write to you. You see, I've fallen in love with you, and I would like the opportunity to court you. I think you could do so much_ _ **better**_ _than Heir-Lord Malfoy. I want to be that better. If you've opened this, then you will probably be at the spot that I had arranged for our first meeting. I intend to spoil you, love, so get used to it. The area I've brought you to will be our first meeting place, and we will make many wonderful memories here._

 _If you've been able to open the letter, it means that you discovered the protective spells I placed on it, as well as the portkey. I'm so anxious to meet you; to get to know you. I didn't want anyone else reading this letter. That's why I put the curses on it. That you were able to dispel them proves just how powerful you are, and are a worthy mate for me. I will be at the Three Broomsticks on the next Hogsmeade weekend. Please come see me that Saturday, at noon. Come alone; we have so much to discuss._

 _Signed,_

 _The Love of Your Life_

"I honestly don't know what this is about," Harrison said as he handed the letter to his father. Draco just hunched his shoulders, refusing to face the raven. The brunet walked up behind the blond and wrapped his arms around the other boy's stiff body, trying to coax him into relaxing. "I don't know who it is, Draco," he whispered into the other teen's ear, making him shiver. "I'm completely devoted to _you_. I love you, Dray."

"I love you, too, Harrison," the blond finally answered as he relaxed back into the brunet's body. "For the record, don't ever call me 'Dray' again."

"Okay," Harrison said with a relieved laugh.


	28. Chapter 28

**Twenty-eight**

"He never showed," Brown snapped angrily, throwing the three week old _Daily Prophet_ across the room. "I was sure that the portkey spell was _flawless_ , and I waited, out of sight, for _hours_. Maybe someone else got the letter first. However, since _no one_ appeared, it would seem that either the spell had failed, or it was disabled. That only means that the curses attached to the letter were also disabled. Damn."

"Do you think he'll show for the Hogsmeade weekend meeting?" asked Carnierus Smith, Zacharias' father, a pureblood also involved with the revolution.

"For the sake of his 'father' and his 'boyfriend', he'd _better_ ," was the snarled reply.

* * *

The first Hogsmeade weekend of the term was upon them, and it was a nice autumn day; not too brisk, but with a bit of a chill in the air. The leaves were beginning their transformation into brilliant, fiery colors that spoke of warm mead in front of a roaring fire. Harrison, Draco, Lucius, Severus, Tom, Remus and Sirius made their careful way into the small hamlet, eyes sharp. The twins had left earlier, and were now ensconced in the Hogs Head, awaiting Harrison so that they could start the charade. The plan had been gone over and gone over until every single bug had been worked out of it.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _All right, we have a problem, and we need to work out a solution, which is why you are here," Tom told the identical pair as they sat on the sofa in Severus' private quarters. The twins nodded eagerly, knowing that, whatever it was, it was sure to be_ _ **fun**_ _. Harrison handed the pair the letter and took up the conversation._

" _Someone sent me that, and it had a portkey spell, as well as several Dark curses. Ares had taken it to Draco. Apparently, when the strange owl had attempted to deliver it to me, she attacked it, and forced it to surrender the missive. She then scooped it up and took it to Draco, who cast several detection spells on it before disabling all of the magic attached to it." The raven turned to his dad with a wide grin. "Thanks for her, Dad," he said softly, shyly. "She's been a godsend." Severus nodded his acknowledgment, a small, pleased smile on his face._

" _Not to interrupt, but how would she know that the letter was dangerous?" Fred asked curiously._

" _That particular falcon is the progeny of a non-magical Caracara falcon and one of our magical species of falcon. She, unfortunately, was the only survivor, and was rescued by a close, personal friend of mine, who had raised her. He didn't discover her magical abilities until recently, and we still aren't sure of what she is capable, exactly."_

" _Anyway," Harrison said, pulling the conversation back on track, "it appears to be, as you can see, a love letter. The sender wants to meet with me in Hogsmeade this weekend. I will go, but I need one of you to volunteer to take polyjuice at the appropriate time. I will slip away, and the imposter will make himself an available target. We need to find out who is behind this, and what they hope to accomplish. You will, of course, have a tracking charm in place, so that we can find you immediately."_

" _I'll do it," George volunteered quietly, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I'll make sure to have some of our more_ _ **experimental**_ _products with me. We need to test them on more_ _ **mature**_ _wizards, and this will afford us the perfect opportunity."_

 _ **End flashback**_

"Everyone stay sharp," Remus murmured softly, eyes scanning the surroundings restlessly. Nods or hums of agreement met this statement as everyone else carefully and surreptitiously surveyed the buildings and storefronts, eyes peering into the shadows, looking for anything out of place.

"I'm scared," Harrison whispered, face pale. Draco looped his arm around his boyfriend, trying to comfort the raven.

"I understand," the blond replied, squeezing him for a moment. "Just know that none of us will let _anything_ happen to you." The group meandered about, wandering into Gladrags for a bit to see what they had on offer, before leaving to visit Zonko's. Nothing seemed to catch the teens' eyes there, either, so they made their way to Honeydukes, to see if perhaps some sweets would appeal. Harrison was far too nervous to take an interest in anything, so Draco did his best to distract the raven, to try and keep his mind off of the upcoming 'meeting'.

"Let's just hope that whoever is running this won't think to check if polyjuice or some other disguise has been used," Sirius murmured, wincing at the wide-eyed look of terror from his godson. He rushed to reassure the raven. "I don't think they'll expect us to suspect anything. If anything, they'll be expecting that you'll be flattered at the attention. You'll need to instruct George to act suitably flustered."

"Yeah…yeah," Harrison breathed, nodding his head jerkily. "I can do that."

"It's time," Tom intoned, his voice dark with the promise of pain should anyone step one toe out of line in regards to his son.

* * *

"Now remember, you need to act flattered and pleased at the unexpected attention," Draco barked at the redhead, who now looked like Harrison's identical twin.

"Merlin, that's weird," the raven murmured, staring at George with wide green eyes. "How will you be able to tell the two of us apart, Draco, once this thing is finished?"

"I'll know," was the short answer as the blond narrowed silver eyes at George in warning. "Don't fuck this up." Sighing, George took the parcels from Harrison and left, walking between Sirius and Tom. Draco looked at his boyfriend one more time before brushing a gentle kiss to his cheek and fleeing with as much grace as he could, jogging to catch up with everyone else.

"Now we wait," Fred murmured, looping a companionable arm around Harrison's shoulders. He didn't say anything else; he was afraid for his brother. This was a dangerous game they were playing, and he hoped that George would keep his head, should it go pear-shaped.

* * *

George, wearing Harrison's skin, slowly walked into the Three Broomsticks, the weight of the tracking charm reassuring the disguised redhead as he cautiously made his way over to an isolated table. No one appeared to be waiting for him, so he relaxed a little, thinking about the different 'tricks' he'd had secreted in a variety of pockets of his robes. Both he and Fred had worked tirelessly to develop some items to help George escape, should there appear to be a threat. Amongst the various prank items was the powdered form of the potion the twins used in their puking pastilles. They had distilled and dried the potion before grinding it into a fine powder, which George had bundled into a bit of cheesecloth that he had bound and spelled so that none of the ingredients would escape. At the necessary time, the younger twin would pretend that he needed to sneeze, and wandlessly remove the spells so that he could blow the powder into an attacker's face.

In another pocket rested a powdered form of the potion used to make the ton-tongued toffees. As well, George also carried a more enhanced, powdered version of the potion used in the canary crèmes. All of the booby traps were augmented to work on adults, should that be necessary. Growing bored and restless, George pulled out a potions text that Severus had gifted to Fred and he, in gratitude for helping to ferret out Harrison's enemies, and he leafed through it, eyes widening at all the potential pranking treasures he spied within the pages. So he was unpleasantly surprised to feel a wand pressing into his side. He lifted his eyes, allowing them to widen with mock hurt at the attack of what was supposed to be 'the love of his life'. Brown, himself, didn't deign to show; he waited back at the abandoned manor house for the delivery of his 'hostage'. Hannah Abbot's father was the one with his wand pressed harshly into the fake Harrison's side, with Smith, Macmillan and Stretton standing on the opposite side of the table, their wands also out. "You're coming with us," Smith growled lowly, eyes narrowed.

Abbot pulled a portkey from his pocket, thrusting it at the teen angrily. "If you don't want anything to happen to your father or your pretty boyfriend, you'll come along quietly," the man barked softly. Hand trembling, George reached out and touched the portkey, flinching at the yank behind his navel. Outside, and very aware of their observers, Tom and the rest leaned against the side of the Broomsticks, chatting quietly, apparently oblivious to the kidnapping that had occurred within the tavern. However, Sirius, who was anchored to the tracking charm, widened his eyes briefly at the rest of them, alerting them to the success of the plan so far. Still talking, they meandered toward the Hog's Head, casting charms that would befuddle their spies as they walked through the rundown tavern's door. Harrison was instantly in his father's arms, trembling.

"It's all right, Harrison," his father murmured, running his fingers through his son's hair. "George has been taken, and we are about to follow the tracking charm. You will stay here with Fred, Draco, and Remus, while Severus, Sirius and I go and find out what's going on."

* * *

They landed outside the unwarded manor, surprised to feel no protections around the house. Stealthily, they crept up to a window, peering in to see if they could discover exactly who was involved and what they wanted. Seeing no one in the room beyond the pane, they hunkered down just below the window frame, whispering their plans to each other. "Severus, you will use your animagus form to sneak into the house," Tom said, smirking slightly at the scowl. "You know that yours is the smallest of all of us, and you will be able to find easy access into the house."

"If I _must_ ," the Potions Master growled with a put-upon sigh. Sirius watched, eyes wide, as the dour man's form shivered and morphed, until a large, poisonous brown recluse spider stood in the yellowed grass under their knees.

"That's actually _brilliant_ , Severus," the animagus breathed with a wide grin on his face. "The form suits your personality so well, and you're _deadly_ like that." Both men could practically _feel_ the smug pride oozing from Snape, before he crawled away. He ventured up the wall and around the corner of the house, looking for a crack or crevice in which he could squeeze his form. He found a gap between the frame of an exterior door and the wall of the house and scurried into the manor, where he continued to creep, following the voices to a parlor buried deep within the center of the house, away from windows of any kind, and with only one door in which to enter or exit. The spider perched itself in a corner of the parlor and listened carefully to the men menacing George, polyjuiced as his son. It took all he had not to descend on a thread of spider silk and sink his venomous fangs into the back of the neck of Lavender Brown's obnoxious father.

"Things were going well for us, until you got your disgusting, filthy hooks into our Lord," Buster snarled loudly, wand pointed at George's face. The disguised twin fought to keep the malicious smirk from his face, relaxing his body and sneaking his hand to one of his robe pockets. The men who had taken him had already relieved him of his wand, but they couldn't take the products secreted on his person, because the pockets they were hidden in were warded so that only George could access them. "We purebloods were all set to return our world to its glory by getting rid of the mudbloods and halfbloods, but you had to somehow confound our master. I won't have it. Once I get rid of you and that bastard Snape, we'll be able to continue where we left off, and take over the wizarding world." Having heard enough, Severus scuttled back outside and to his mate, where he reverted to his human form.

"It's a bunch of purebloods, led by Buster Brown," he told his lover. "They believe Harrison has somehow befuddled you and made you lose your purpose for the wizarding world. They think that, if they eliminate your son and me, you will return to your exalted mission to rid our world of the mudbloods and halfbloods, thereby leaving them to control everything."

"Is George all right?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"He is fine for the moment," Sev replied softly. "However, I do not know how much longer that will remain true."

"We need to find a way inside without alerting them of our presence," Tom murmured, ruby eyes far away as he created and discarded ideas, trying to come up with the perfect plan.

* * *

George had one of the cheesecloth bundles in his fist, which was resting at his side. He was waiting for the perfect time to deploy it, which presented itself moments later when Buster leaned closer to 'Harrison', his wand lifting threateningly. The younger twin lifted his curled fist to his face, covering his mouth as he faked a sneeze, at the same time murmuring the release spell so that he could blow the powder into his assailant's face. The blast was right on target, and Brown inhaled sharply in startlement as the cloud of dust flew into his face. This introduced the potion into the pureblood's system, and almost immediately he began to violently projectile vomit. George only just barely got out of the way before he would have been splattered with the man's emesis. The other three moved in toward the disguised Weasley, and he immediately pulled out the powder for the canary crèmes and the ton-tongued toffees, flinging them into the men's faces and darting away. Before the teen had a chance to escape out the door, it was blocked by three bodies. Arms gripped him, and he fought and bit, trying to escape before the voices finally made their way into his brain.

"Easy, George," Sirius whispered, as he was the one that had grabbed the fleeing boy. "We have you. We need to get out of here before they come to their senses." The pull of apparition scattered what little thought the redhead had, and he landed hard on his knees in the Hog's Head. Fred was instantly beside his brother, feeling for any injuries and grimacing as he felt his twin's skin and muscles twitch and flinch as the polyjuice wore off.

"Well?" Draco asked huffily. "How did it go?"

"It's a faction of purebloods who want to rid the wizarding world of muggleborns and halfbloods," Severus answered the teen.

"But, why?" Harrison asked, confused. "Things are so much better now. What do _I_ have to do with it, anyway?"

"They see you as the reason for my 'betrayal'," his father answered gently. "They think that you somehow used a _confundus_ charm on me, which made me believe that I love you, and that I no longer believe in pureblood supremacy. They sought to eliminate your influence on me."

"We need to get some people on the inside of that organization," Sirius murmured thoughtfully. "With spies on the inside, we'll be able to keep up on whatever plans they may have, and may also be able to take the organization apart from the inside."

"Agreed," Tom said, considering the animagus quietly. Finally, nodding to himself, he approached Sirius, who flinched minutely for a moment. Smirking at the reflexive action, Tom's words therefore shocked the last Head of House Black. "I think that it's time we made you Harrison's second godfather."

* * *

"I've called the eight of you here because I have a mission for you," Riddle intoned solemnly. Before him stood Antonin Dolohov, Teodred Nott, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, Amernius Greengrass, Limus Parkinson, Almeidus Flint and Amycus Carrow. They all bowed their heads, accepting the mission before a single word about it had been spoken.

"We would be honored to help you, my Lord," Teodred murmured into the solemn quiet.

"Please don't call me that," Tom replied with a grimace. "I am no one's _Lord_. You all have been the strongest allies I've ever had, and I would like you to call me Tom. The wizarding world, and the changes to it, have been and will continue to be because of your unwavering support. Now, I need you to infiltrate the underground pureblood organization set to undo all the good that we've accomplished so far. They thought to kidnap and murder my son and my bonded mate, in order to 'return' me to my 'right' mind. I need eyes and ears on the inside, to divine their plans and help me to eliminate their efforts before they do irreparable damage to all the progress we have achieved to date."

"Consider it done, Tom," Rodolphus spoke for the group, wincing a little as he used the Dark Lord's name for the first time. Tom only smiled gratefully at the man, reassuring him and everyone else that the offer was true and heartfelt.

"Thank you, my friends," Riddle murmured with a bowed head, overwhelmed once again at the unwavering support of men that, twelve years ago, would've been writhing on the floor under his wand. That he received that support _in spite of_ their shared, pain-filled pasts, was a revelation unto itself.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** Stormshadow13 came up with a brilliant idea, which I have taken and run with at the start and end of this chapter. Including these forms of entertainment hadn't even occurred to me, so thank you for the inspiration.

* * *

 **Twenty-nine**

"H-Harrison? Could…could I t-talk to you for a m-moment?" came a hesitant voice from behind the teen. He and his friends were on their way to the Great Hall for lunch, but Harrison stopped and turned to see who had called out to him. It was second year Gryffindor Colin Creevey, and he had a sheepish grin on his face.

"No, Colin," Harrison mumbled with a grimace, "you can't have a picture of me." The twelve year old boy blushed to the roots of his mousy brown hair in embarrassment, eyes suddenly on his shoes.

"N-no, it's not that," the preteen answered, never looking at the other boy. "In fact, I want to apologize to you for that. I never realized that by taking your picture I was infringing on your right to privacy. I also didn't even consider how uncomfortable it made you. I just thought your protests against it were some form of false modesty. I know I was wrong, and I'd like to start fresh, if you'll allow it."

"All right," Harrison replied, considering. "I accept. Now, what was it you wanted to say?"

"C-could I have lunch with you guys? What I want to talk about will take some time, and I'm hungry."

"Sure," Draco responded with a bubble of laughter. Neville looped a companionable arm around the preteen's shoulders, startling him for a moment as they continued to lunch. Once they entered the Hall and found seats, Colin continued his train of thought.

"Dean and Seamus have been going on and on about the muggle sports that they're helping the Department of Magical Games and Sports adapt to the magical world. I also hear that you're trying to get some more musical groups for our world, as well as bringing in motion pictures and television shows. I'd like to talk to you about including fiction novels, comic books, graphic novels and Japanese manga to the wizarding world. Most every book in Flourish and Blotts deals with magic in one form or another, be it transfigurations, spell crafting, or potions. There's not really any sort of reading for _fun_ here. In the muggle world, they have a slew of fiction authors all over the place, who provide stories that revolve around romance, horror, suspense, and crime. They also have comic books and graphic novels, some of which cater to younger kids, whilst others cater to more adult tastes.

"Japan's manga community creates a lot of different stories and novels based around their magic and mythology. It would be great to have some of those forms of entertainment on our shores, as well. To be able to explore the mythos and cultural diversity of Japan, within the illustrated pages of manga would be spectacular. Theirs, also, caters to a variety of ages, as well as genders. A lot of the manga has been animated, and turned into television shows. Those could be brought to the wizarding world too, as soon as we figure out how to adapt the technology to our magic."

"That's actually a brilliant idea," Harrison enthused happily. "I remember comic books that my cousin had, that I would sneak into my cupboard and read. The storybooks in primary school were always fun to read, as well. You're right, Colin. The British wizarding world doesn't seem to have many types of reading just for fun."

"We have _some_ fun things to read," Luna felt the need to point out, playing devil's advocate. She was all for expanding the entertainment in the wizarding world, but she didn't want her friends to have the misconception that wizards were lacking imagination. "We have _The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle_ and _Loony Nonby v.s. Cornish Pixie_ as comic books, and  Magic Storybook, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, The Toadstool Tales, which I wouldn't recommend, since it's a more boring and sappy retelling of the Beedle the Bard stories, and Enchanted Encounters. Granted, that's not a _lot_ , but it's still _something_. I actually have a bunch of the Marvin Miggs comics at home. I'll have Dad send them to me by owl so that you can see them." Everyone stared at the Ravenclaw for a moment, startled at the clarity with which she had spoken, before shaking themselves out of their daze to continue the discussion.

"I found a Nonby comic in a newsstand," Dean added. "I have it in my dorm; I'll bring it down at dinner."

"I have the books," Neville said. "I'll have Gran send them to me, so that we can get an idea of what we want to do with the fiction part of our venture."

"Who would we talk to about this?" Fred asked curiously, also excited about the new forms of entertainment being discussed.

"Well, I don't think we want to go to the publishers of the _Daily Prophet_ ," Neville murmured thoughtfully. "I'm not sure they would appreciate the competition, even if it would be fiction. We would almost have to start our _own_ publishing and distribution house to get this kind of reading material in the hands of the British wizarding public."

"That's not a half-bad idea," Blaise contributed from down the table, startling everyone. He moved closer, making the teens realize that most of the Slytherins were listening in, and looked really interested. "My mum is very wealthy, and willing to help out fledgling businesses. All we'd need would be the talent; she could take care of the rest."

"Thanks, Blaise," Draco chirped. "Why don't we meet with Tom, Sirius, Remus, uncle Sev, and my father after lunch, and hash out some tentative plans. Anyone who wants to can come along and join us. The more ideas we have, the more successful these ventures will be."

* * *

"Buster. We have some of Voldemort's Death Eaters outside. What do you want us to do with them?" Daragh MacDougal said quietly.

"What do they want?" Brown barked, irritated. He was still smarting from the slick way that his prey had escaped his clutches.

"I think they want to join us," MacDougal replied. Buster's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Bring them into the parlor. We'll talk to them there."

* * *

"It worked, Tom," Rodolphus reported to Riddle. They were meeting in the Room of Requirement, so as not to frighten the students or staff, since the men were still, technically, Death Eaters. Though things had changed for the better after Harrison's adoption, there were still people out there who would always look upon these men with suspicion. "They were more than happy to let us join. They were suspicious at first; they questioned how we were able to locate them. Teodred told them that we'd run into some of their members in the Leaky Cauldron, which is true, as far as it goes. Flint used a memory charm to adjust their memories to reflect that they had, indeed, met us in the Cauldron, and had invited us to join their cause."

"Brilliant," Tom praised, smiling at his friends with relief. "Now we'll just have to figure out a way to communicate whilst you are with them."

"If I may?" Amernius Greengrass requested quietly. At the former Dark Lord's nod of encouragement, the man continued. "Since the Marks died the moment you reabsorbed your safeguards-thank you for that, by the way-I suggest we use a bit of jewelry with a Protean charm. If we have something of import to communicate, we'll activate the bauble, and you will feel the magic in yours."

"Excellent idea," Tom murmured with a grin. "I have just the thing, too. I have a ring with the Slytherin coat of arms on it; Harrison has the other. I can make copies for you to distribute amongst your 'compatriots'. Only the rings you lot have will contain the charm, whilst I retain the original."

"Won't that look suspicious?" Amycus Carrow questioned quietly. When Tom looked at him for clarification, he finished his thought. "If we all show up with Slytherin family rings, I'm sure they'll wonder how we gained possession of them."

"We could tell them that we 'borrowed' the Slytherin family ring before we 'left' Voldemort's 'employ'," Limus Parkinson said into the thoughtful silence. "We'll spin a story about how we thought that Tom wasn't suitable enough to be recognized as Slytherin's heir, since he 'betrayed' all of the ideals for which Salazar had stood. I am sure that they will _jump_ at the chance to wear and flaunt something that belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself. We made copies of it for our 'brethren' to show our 'unity of purpose' in bringing back the lofty 'ideals' of pureblood society."

"Why did I never take advantage of your brilliant minds before this?" Tom wondered aloud, pride oozing from every pore. Every single man present stood taller, basking in the unreserved approval they received from their Lord and leader. They also vowed to themselves to talk to the little Riddle Heir-Lord, and thank him for returning to them a man for whom they would be willing to lay down their lives.

* * *

"All right," Draco said once everyone had arrived at the Room of Requirement. Harrison paced back and forth, creating a large, open space with a round table in the center, so that everyone could talk to each other without having to lean forward or back to do it. Several of the Slytherins had joined them, as well as a few Hufflepuffs, some Ravenclaws, and a smattering of Gryffindors. Tom, Lucius, Severus, Sirius, Remus and Zaphira Zabini, Blaise's mum, were also present. Xenophilius Lovegood had been invited as well; being an established publisher, he would have insights that the others would need to continue their venture. The door appeared, and Draco ushered everyone in. "Have a seat, and we'll get started." Once everyone had sat around the table, Harrison started distributing some of the materials that the Room had provided.

"Here are some other types of written entertainments that Hogwarts has graciously provided for us to look at," he said softly. Everyone looked at the Witch Weekly magazine, as well as the various muggle books that had been added to her library at one time or another. "As you can see, there are some muggle fairy tales that had been added to the school over the years, most likely by the muggleborns who had come here before us. The stories are a bit… _prejudiced_ against witches and magic to a degree. Faeries, however, seem to be a more acceptable form of magic. I'm not sure why; perhaps it's because their ideas of faeries see them as small, relatively harmless beings.

"Anyway, these very limited forms of entertainment in the British wizarding world tend to constrict free imagination. It's almost as if, being magical, there is no reason to exercise the imagination, since we're able to conjure, transfigure, or create anything we want. Why imagine it, if we can just _do_ it?"

"So you wish to start your own publishing and distribution company, to increase the amount of written entertainments for the British magical world?" Xenophilius asked softly, an excited gleam in his eyes.

"We do," Draco confirmed.

"You do realize that, being underage, you can't own businesses yourselves," Zaphira had to point out.

"We know that, Mum," Blaise replied with a smile. "We will have the backing of Tom Riddle, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Severus Riddle, who are all adults. We're not going into this _blindly_. The only thing we really need help with is the _talent_."

"I…I would like to try my hand at comics," Colin said hesitantly. He was thrilled to be included in the ever expanding circle of friends that the former Boy Who Lived was garnering, and wanted to contribute in a more real way.

"Do you have samples?" Tom asked softly, smiling at the shy Gryffindor. Creevey nodded, embarrassed, then slid his work over to the adults for their perusal. All was quiet for a time as the men read through the several pages of comics, smiling or laughing outright at some of the panels. Finally, Riddle looked at the preteen with gentle pride. "This is very good, Mr. Creevey. I think it would make an excellent first publication under our banner."

"Really?" Colin whispered, stunned at the instant approval.

"Really," Severus concurred. "This is very amusing, and you have a real eye for color and composition. As well, its inclusion in our publishing firm will encourage the purebloods to see muggleborns as infinitely more valuable and desirable additions to our world."

"Mr. Lovegood?" Dean said, breaking the heavy silence. "Seamus and I would like to contribute sporting columns to your paper, if we may."

"To what purpose?" Xenophilius asked softly.

"Well," Seamus answered, "Dean and I will be joining the Department of Magical Games and Sports when we graduate, to help it bring a wider variety of sports to the British wizarding world. Right now, though, the climate isn't quite _right_ for their inclusion. If we get stories and articles published, in your paper, covering the sports we wish to incorporate, it'll introduce the _ideas_ , and pave the way for their eventual addition."

"It's a good idea," the man said, smiling at the teens. "It may actually go a long way to legitimizing my paper, as well. If it works out right, I may be able to bump the _Daily Prophet_ out of the way completely as the premier news source for the British magical public."

"About that, Father," Luna murmured, looking at her dad happily. "I think we should change the format of our paper, to make it more widely accessible to a larger audience. Our news articles must continue to be honest and truthful, but I think we should include other things. As well as the sporting articles, we could include reviews of new novels, written by up and coming authors, and talk about the technologies we wish to bring to our world. If we start now to include information about television, computers and the internet, and portable phones, when those technologies are brought to our world, everyone will already have all the information they need about them, and they won't be as scary."

"Good idea, love," Neville whispered to the Ravenclaw, making her blush. "We'll need to discuss motion pictures, and how they're made, as well," he said to the room. "We can advertise preview showings, and build a movie theater, so that we can show them. Get the wizarding public used to seeing moving pictures that aren't like our moving portraiture and paintings. We'll also need to put a 'help wanted' section in the paper, asking for people who can write to submit their creations to the publishing house."

"We can get people who can play music, and who can act, as well," Fred chimed in. "Work on building up a stable of talent so that, when we're ready, we can bust out all kinds of entertainments."

"You know what we haven't addressed yet?" Sirius said. "Dance. We haven't even discussed the different types of dancing out there. Things like ballet and tap, jazz and interpretive, breakdancing and popping and locking. There are all kinds of dance out there, and it would be a shame not to include them in our quest to broadening the British wizarding world's horizons."

"How do you know about all of that, Padfoot?" Remus asked.

"Grimmauld Place is located in a muggle neighborhood," he replied with a sheepish grin. "I would wander through muggle London, looking at all of the different people and things. I'd seen a lot of different types of street dancers, and I even snuck into a ballet performance once. Granted, it was a way to say 'eff you' to my dead parents, especially my mum, but I was also fascinated by the way these people moved. The grace and beauty was astonishing." Everyone started talking at once, chattering about the different things they'd seen in the muggle world, and how it could be included in their world.

"Excellent," Tom said into the noise, silencing it effectively. "We have a cohesive plan in place, and will be working on it over the next several years. You all have given us some wonderful ideas, as well as some perfect launching points. We will meet once a month, to discuss the progress of our projects, and to see if any more ideas may be forthcoming. Thank you all for coming, and I look forward to what you may come up with in the future."


	30. Chapter 30

**Thirty**

 _November 14, 1993_

 _The Quibbler_

 _ **NEW FORMAT COMING!**_

 _ **We're changing our look!**_

 _Xenophilius Lovegood, editor-in-chief_

 _This edition of The Quibbler will be the only free paper distributed, as we here at the paper want to let every wizarding citizen of Great Britain know of our changing format. Starting next week, our paper will no longer stick strictly to the news, and the occasional odd article about a fantastic beast. In fact, we will leave the fantastic beasts to the capable hands of Newt Scamander, as we have more important matters to cover._

 _The news, first and foremost, will be accurate and truthful. No mudslinging or gossip mongering. I believe we've had enough of the kinds of 'news' that The Daily Prophet dishes out. It's time to reinstitute journalistic integrity, and to do that, we need to stick to the facts of the story. The news will also be important. No more frivolous articles about the lady next door's kneazle in a tree or the guy down the road's garden gnome problem._

 _We will be including articles relevant to today's wizarding world, which means that we will be introducing a variety of stories about the different technologies that are set to be included in the British wizarding world in the near future. As it stands, our wizarding community lags behind a great many wizarding cities, towns, and villages in other countries by a substantial margin. In order for us to remain competitive and important, we need to modernize ourselves, with an eye toward the integration of a variety of different devices, without losing any of the traditions and rituals that make us who we are._

 _We will also be expanding our entertainments, which means we are bringing film, television, dance, music and animation to our world. Cartoonists are welcome, too. I am looking forward to starting a comics page in this paper, similar to the muggle papers, and I would like to invite those who have the skill to submit your samples for approval. Keep in mind that this is a family paper; nothing too scandalous or violent, please. As well, we are going to be encouraging those with a talent for writing to submit samples of their work to a new publishing house that is to be opened in the near future. We have far too little in the way of reading for relaxation; it's about time we exercise the imaginations we were born with, but have failed to take advantage of, simply because we have magic to do it all for us. There will be a 'help wanted' section included in the paper, starting with the first official issue, so that we may begin to cultivate the talent we will need to make some of these endeavors succeed._

 _I have the singular honor of permitting two of Hogwarts' finest to write for my paper. They will be penning sports-related articles, introducing our community to different sports with the hope that you will be entertained and curious enough to see these sports brought to our world. We already have a boxing league; it would be nothing to bring some of the other muggle sports into our world, so that we may have more of a variety from which to choose. Quidditch is all well and good for some, but I, for one, would like to have a wider choice of sporting events to watch, or to join. I will close this by saying that I hope that you take the time to really think about everything that has been outlined in this article. For too long, we've kept ourselves insulated from any sort of influence from the muggle world, or other wizarding communities. That has to stop if we are to remain a strong, competitive nation. A little progress is_ _ **good**_ _. Don't let the ideas that we're turning muggle sway you; we're not. We're just learning to take advantage of the technologies that are ever changing and growing. It's what a strong, sure, independent society_ _ **does**_ _.  
_

* * *

"Great introduction, Luna," Harrison enthused happily. "Now that the seeds are planted, we'll see how the ideas grow and flourish."

"Thanks, Harrison," the blonde Ravenclaw murmured with a dopey smile. "I'm just glad that Father is willing to do all this. If it legitimizes his paper, that will make me very happy."

"Hey, Luna?" Draco said after a short silence. When the girl looked at him, he grinned widely. "I know your father has some strong political opinions and leanings. Do you think he'd be willing to open up a 'letters to the editor' page? It should include a single letter, from him, every publication, discussing the current political climate and what needs to happen to effect substantial change to our Ministry. I think if we push for a specific agenda, within his paper, we could get my father in position to completely take over the Minister's job, with the British magical world being completely on his side."

"That's a good idea, love," Harrison beamed at his boyfriend. "I know that Father wants your dad in place in the Ministry, so that they can change a lot of the laws that would be pretty much outdated for the things we wish to accomplish."

* * *

"What the hell is _this_?" Buster Brown bellowed as he stared at the single sheet of parchment in his hands. The restructuring of _The Quibbler_ was big news, and to get all the details, he'd gone out and picked up a copy for himself. To say that he was dumbfounded was an understatement; he was absolutely _incensed_. "Why in Merlin's name would we _want_ to adapt those stupid muggle toys to our world?" He looked at William Stretton with wide, betrayed eyes.

"It's worse than we thought," Bud Abbot murmured. "That worthless little halfblood has his hooks buried deeply in our Lord. It has to be his influence causing all of these drastic changes."

"Amernius, Limus, and Almeidus," Ray Davies snapped. "Since you three were some of Lord Voldemort's Inner Circle, you need to get close to him and try and take out that little bastard. Once the boy is dead, the Dark Lord's mind will clear of whatever strange influence the brat has, and he will return to us to once again pick up the mantle of Leader of the Dark."

* * *

 _November 16, 1993_

 _Father,_

 _Draco has made an excellent suggestion. He thinks you should set up a 'letters to the editor' page, and place a letter or article, written by you, at the top of the page, expressing your opinions on the current political climate, and what you believe would benefit the wizarding world. Our ultimate goal is to get Lucius Malfoy in as the Minister of Magic, with Tom Riddle behind the scenes, helping to reshape our wizarding shores into a magical nation of which to be proud. We want you to take on the corruption in the Ministry, as well as the hold that Albus Dumbledore had over the Minister. We also want you to take on the Daily Prophet, with its habits of slander and rumor mongering. Rita Skeeter especially needs to be taken to task for her unwarranted attacks on Harrison in his first year._

 _Discuss a lot of the laws and restrictions that make us less than we should be, like the failures to integrate the were-species, as well as the vampire communities. We also need to ease the paranoia about Dark Arts, and ensure that the general public understand that it's not the magic that's evil, but the intent of the witch or wizard. Reach out to the purebloods; scatter some facts about the pureblood families into the articles and letters. Let them know that the continuous inbreeding in which they've engaged is the reason for the rise in the squib population. I'm sure you'll have ways to access family tapestries and histories, so that you will have ample facts to back your claims._

 _Let us know the schedule of printing for the new format and we'll send along the articles from Seamus and Dean, as well as the comic strips from Colin, Greg Goyle, and Michael Corner. We'll also send you the proofs for the want ads we want in the back of the paper. Thanks again for doing all of this for us. With your help, we should be able to effect change in our world a little quicker._

 _I love you, Daddy._

 _Luna  
_

* * *

 _December 16, 1993_

 _Dear Mother,_

 _How have you been? Things are going well here. We've got the first articles sent to Xenophilius Lovegood for printing in the first official paper. We've outlined everything we think would make the efforts successful; now all we have to do is sit back and wait for the reactions. I've no doubt that the Daily Prophet will be the first to react to the new Quibbler, and I'm also pretty sure it won't be pleasant._

 _Harrison and Tom wish to wait until after the holidays before we look for a building for our publishing company. It's too close to Yule right now to find anything. At this point, I agree. We're still working on trying to get the articles refined so that they appear very professional when submitted. On another note, it seems that some of the purebloods have banded together to try and eliminate Harrison and Severus Riddle. They see both people as bad influences on Tom, and want the true Dark Lord to return to them. Keep your ear to the ground, and any information relating to these matters would be most appreciated._

 _I love you, mum, and am glad that you wish to be a part of something great._

 _Blaise  
_

* * *

 _December 17, 1993_

 _The Quibbler_

 _ **TABLE OF CONTENTS**_

 _ **The Truth About Lord Voldemort: Who he was, and who he is-page 2**_

 _ **Letters to the Editor: A letter from my desk, and a plea to everyone to submit their own-page 4**_

 _ **Computers: Instrument of evil, or a valuable source of information?-page 6**_

 _ **Sports: Get all the scores, as well as information on a new sport every week-page 9**_

 _ **Entertainment: Exploring all the different varieties of dance-page 12**_

 _ **Comics: Enjoy some amusing stories from up and coming talents-page 15**_

 _ **Help Wanted: Anyone with talent, please check our ads-page 17  
**_

 _Hello, good readers. Welcome to the first issue of the new, improved Quibbler. This will be the format that this paper will follow from now on. As you can see, there are a variety of exciting things to explore within the pages. This will be a weekly paper; though the Prophet comes out daily, and sometimes twice daily, it will never be able to compare to the care and caution we here at the Quibbler will exercise, to ensure that all of our articles are honest and true. We aim to be the paper you can trust for all of your information needs. For questions, comments, and submission ideas, address all owls to Xenophilius Lovegood, Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon, England.  
_

* * *

 _December 19, 1993_

 _The Daily Prophet_

 _ **A NEW PAPER IN TOWN?**_

 _ **The Quibbler no match for The Prophet**_

 _Rita Skeeter, reporter_

 _Hello, gentle readers. I am here to address a travesty that has occurred in our midst. It seems that Xenophilius Lovegood, in his ongoing dementia, has 'restructured' his pathetic rag of a newspaper, thinking that it would, somehow, supplant The Daily Prophet as the British wizarding world's premier news source. I am here to tell you that his efforts are a waste of time and money. There is no way that his useless attempts will_ _ **ever**_ _replace The Daily Prophet as our source for magical news and information. We have been here since 1743, and in all that time there were always efforts to replace us as the only valuable news source available. Every effort has failed, and this one will, too.  
_

* * *

"Well, the first issue has been distributed," Sirius murmured as he stared at _The Quibbler_ in his hands. "I must say, the format is easy to navigate, and it's smart to devote a section to each article."

"We will see how things go," Tom replied. "I have set up an account goblin to keep track of the books for the paper. It may take a few issues, but I am positive that Lovegood's paper will replace the _Prophet_ as our only news source." There was a knock on the Defense classroom door, and Tom went to answer it. He was surprised to see Limus Parkinson standing on the other side. The man bowed his head respectfully before entering at Riddle's invitation. "What news have you?"

"Amernius, Almeidus and I are supposed to 'get close' to you, since we _were_ your Inner Circle, and assassinate your son when we have the opportunity. We were also tasked with assassinating your husband, as well."

"I see," the Dark Lord murmured, ruby eyes glowing with rage. Parkinson took a nervous step back, realizing that, even though Tom was restored, he was still damn frightening. "We'll have to figure out a way to draw them out; we need to get them all in one place so that we can take care of them. If even _one_ should escape, this will never end."

"Agreed," Severus murmured as he came up to his mate. "What were their reactions to the paper?"

"Buster Brown was not happy," Parkinson replied with a smirk. "He threw a massive temper tantrum when he read about the…computers?" At Tom's nod, he continued. "Personally, I think that they sound fascinating. I mean, being able to have access to all kinds of information, all at your fingertips. Sure beats having massive libraries that we have to search through for _hours_ before we find what we're looking for. The spells we have to find information aren't _refined_ enough to give us what we specifically need, either."

"I liked the article about Tom," Sirius said with a smile. "It was painfully honest and truthful, and will go a long way toward convincing the rest of the wizarding public that you've truly changed, and for the better."

"That…that was difficult," Riddle replied sheepishly. "I know that confession is good for the soul, but to reveal all of my fucked up thinking…Frankly, I'm quite embarrassed at what I did before Harrison came into my life."

"It shows your human side, Father," his son said as he came into the room. Immediately, he went to his dad for a hug, snuggling into the man's chest happily. "It also shows that you're willing to own up to your mistakes, and make changes for the better. Nothing will get you what you want faster than raw candor. By these confessions, you've shown the wizarding public that they can _trust_ you; that you won't hide anything from them. For too long, the Ministry has been making the decisions for the wizarding world and keeping them ignorant and blind. With your brutal truths, you've shown them that they can rely on you to make the best decisions for their world, and give them back the independence and strength that they once had."

"How did the rings go over?" Tom asked as he gently carded his fingers through his son's hair. If his voice was a little shaky from the overwhelming emotions swamping him, no one cared to comment on it.

"They were very well received," Limus replied with a wide grin. "The story that Amycus came up with was perfect; they bought it, hook, line, and sinker."

"Excellent. Now, you need to return before you are missed. I will endeavor to call you once a week, to see how things are faring, and if there's any information you have need to pass on to me. If something urgent comes up, do not hesitate to bring it to my attention immediately. I am counting on you gentlemen to keep my son and my mate safe."

"Thank you, Tom," Parkinson said with pride. "We are honored by the faith and trust you have in us, and we will not fail you."

* * *

"Little Lord, might I have a word?" Rodolphus Lestrange said as he approached Harrison. It was two days before the Yule holidays, and the men were in Tom's office, having a meeting. Rodolphus was unnecessary; he had no information to impart, so he wanted to speak to Harrison for a moment.

"May I help you, Lord Lestrange?"

"On behalf of my friends, I just want to thank you for all that you have done for Tom, and by extension, for us."

"I…I didn't really do anything," the boy stammered, blushing.

"Oh, but you did," Rodolphus demurred gently. "You gave him a purpose for his life that he'd never had before. You gave him a reason to _live_ again. By accepting him, and loving him, you made him a man worthy of the devotion that we show him. You gave him back his true purpose again, and you gave him the will to want to do it _right_ this time."

"Th-thank you," the raven whispered. "I was always under the impression that you and your friends wanted to get rid of all the muggleborns and halfbloods."

"Those were lies, spread by Dumbledore, to keep us on the edges of our world. To keep us cast out of wizarding society. To make us feel ashamed of who and what we are. We may not fully understand the muggleborns, but we don't wish for their exile. We see the numbers of squibs being produced by the inbreeding, and we want to halt that in its tracks. The only way to do that, short of going to other countries, is to accept the fresh, unsullied magic and blood of the muggleborns.

"We are fully aware that the muggleborns come from long dead squib lines. We need that fresh infusion of those dead lines to renew our world, and make it stronger. It would be folly for us to shun anyone magical, no matter their blood status."

"I'm very glad to hear that, sir," Harrison said with a wide smile. "I'm also very glad that Father was able to maintain his friendships from before. He needs you all to help him remember his purpose, and to retain his humanity."


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Apologies to everyone who's read this chapter. It was brought to my attention by Zaidee Lighthart, and in checking up on the rules of the site, I've discovered that we're not permitted to use the names of real, famous people. For that reason, I've changed the name of the author. My bad.

* * *

 **Thirty-one**

"I've planned a party for Yule," Tom said as everyone set down their burdens. Draco and Neville were, once again, staying with the Riddles for Yule, and with Sirius and Remus also living there, it was a full, happy house. "I figured to invite everyone that had been part of my organization before my 'death' and try and mitigate some of the damage I had done to them. I've also invited the Weasleys, as well as the Zabinis, the Parkinsons minus Limus, the Notts minus Teodred, the Greengrasses minus Amernius, the Flints minus Almeidus, and Alecto Carrow. The Creevey boys are coming, as well as Seamus and Dean. The Lovegoods will also be in attendance. I'd like to touch base with everyone, and see how they're faring."

"That's a good idea, Father," Harrison replied with a smile. "It'll also give us a chance to work out some more plans for the paper, as well as our publishing and distribution company."

"Lorcan d'Eath has maintained contact with some halfbloods and muggleborns in the entertainment industry," Neville said. "I was able to get in touch with him, and he plans for us to meet with some of the entertainers after Yule break, so we'll need to arrange a time when that would be convenient. I think one of the weekends we come here would be perfect; that way you'll be involved in it, as well, Tom."

"Since I'm teaching at Hogwarts, why not meet there?" Riddle asked curiously.

"d'Eath is very popular in the wizarding world," Draco picked up the topic. "He'll be mobbed by ravening fans if we have the meeting there. As well, some of the performers he'll be bringing are, no doubt, known by the muggleborns and some of the halfbloods. They would be harassed as well. Besides, I don't want to cause any discomfort for the visiting entertainers."

"Fair enough," Tom nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Just be sure to keep me in the loop, so that I can have the Keep cleaned and prepared for their visit."

* * *

"Where are the kids?" Sirius asked softly as he entered Tom's den. Remus followed close behind and closed the door after himself. Lucius was already in attendance, sitting in a chair before the Dark Lord's desk.

"They're upstairs, no doubt getting into all sorts of mischief," Riddle replied.

"Excellent," Remus purred with a feral grin. "Are we ready, then?"

"I don't know about any of _you_ , but _I've_ been looking forward to this for a while," Lucius said. "Do we know where they are?"

"Not offhand," Tom answered, "but they shouldn't be too hard to locate. We'll disillusion ourselves and follow them to their homes when we locate them."

"Let's go," Sirius said, rubbing his hands together. "I want to get this party started."

* * *

They landed in the park near the Dursleys' home, already disillusioned. The four men had landed nearly silently, the slight crack of the magic startling a few birds nearby. Sirius had purchased a map of the area, and had located the park so that they could have the coordinates to which they wanted to apparate. They walked up the sidewalk opposite their quarry's house, until they were directly across from number four. Talking quietly, they watched the domicile until the fat whale of a boy exited his home, whistling happily as he turned right and headed toward the park. The four wizards followed him, watching as he met up with his gang, and were appalled that the first thing the thugs did was to push a bunch of small children off of their swings. The nearby parents went to intervene, chasing the bullies away as they picked up their crying children and tried to soothe their hurts. The boys ran past the invisible wizards, laughing raucously as they loped past.

As the wizards continued to tail the boys throughout the day, they grew more and more angry at the blatant disrespect and abuse that these four bullies dealt out to everyone they came across. When they weren't harassing people, they were inside the stores and shops, stealing whatever products struck their fancy. Because of the size and nature of the boys, very few people had wanted to deal with them personally, which gave the youths a sense of entitlement; as if they were somehow _above_ the law. More than once the wizards had heard the shop owners complain to each other about the gang, commenting on the uselessness of billing their parents. One of them had tried that a couple of years earlier, and was met with the threats of legal action by Vernon Dursley, who had refused to believe that his precious boy was the criminal in the making that he was becoming.

Finally, as it was getting dark, the boys split off from each other and went to their respective homes. Tom was tasked with following Piers Polkiss, while Lucius took Dennis Mitchell. Remus had Gordon Shumway and Sirius had Malcolm Wilkerson. Once the boys had reached their homes, the wizards waited outside, until the houses went dark. Sneaking into the homes was easy; no one seemed to lock their doors in this sleepy little town and, surprisingly, there were no dogs. Each wizard found the bedroom of their intended target, entering and putting up silencing charms and wards to hide their magic from the Ministry. They then mildly tortured each boy with low level pain curses and cutting hexes, relishing in the screams each child made. They always kept, to the forefront of their minds, the visions of the beatings to which the hooligans had subjected Harrison. Once they were satisfied with the results, each wizard bent down over the child they were with and whispered in their ears, " _That's for all the pain and suffering you caused to Harry Potter._ "

"Wh-who _are_ you?" Piers Polkiss whimpered, looking around frantically for the person connected to the voice. This plea was repeated by every other victim, all of the teens confused as to why they were being targeted. They barely remembered Harry Potter, after all, since he had disappeared after his first year of boarding school. No one ever said that any of the teenagers were bright, after all.

" _I am justice served,_ " was the hissed reply, before Tom put the boy to sleep, wiping the encounter from his mind. The other men imparted the same message to their victims, before wiping their memories of the incident. They then met up at the park again, where they apparated back to the Keep and met in Tom's den to discuss the events.

* * *

"Where do you think they went?" Draco asked his boyfriend. They were in Harrison's room with Neville, playing some wizarding board games to pass the time.

"I don't know, but I can make a guess," the raven replied softly.

"So can I," Neville chimed in. "I think they may have gone out to exact a little payback."

"Without you, Harrison?" Draco responded incredulously. "I thought _you_ wanted to be the one to punish your relatives."

"I don't think it was my relatives they went after," the raven told the blond. "I think they went after Dudley's gang."

"Ooohhh," Draco sighed with a knowing nod. "That makes sense. We all saw the memories you'd provided for Black, and I can see where they would want to punish those worthless muggles."

"I just hope they don't _kill_ them," Neville said softly. "I'd hate for their need for revenge to be stronger than their humanity. If they kill those boys, it'll forever change them."

"Yeah," Harrison whispered, eyes wide. "I don't want to lose Father or Lucius to their anger or hatred. I don't want to lose Sirius or Remus, either. They've become very important to me."

"Um, not to change the subject or anything, but how can Sirius leave the Keep? Doesn't he have a monitoring anklet on?" the blond queried.

"Sirius' anklet was removed at the beginning of the week. Between the visits from the Ministry, and Father's glowing reports of his recovery, Madam Bones thought that my godfather deserved time off for good behavior. She was completely surprised at the turnaround Sirius has made, and quite impressed with Dad's complete acceptance of him. I think _that_ , more than anything, is what persuaded her to release Sirius from his house arrest. Dad's and Sirius' rivalry was legendary, after all, and for her to see them get along, and for Dad to be so welcoming and accepting to the man who had tortured him during school made the head of the DMLE realize that Sirius had, in fact, changed for the better."

"That's good to know," Neville said with a smile. "I'm glad that Sirius has grown up and become the godfather that you'd deserved from the beginning." Harrison smiled at his best friend, blushing slightly. Sandie popped in at that moment with refreshments for the boys. Dobby popped in a few moments later with a message from Narcissa.

"Thank you Sandie," Harrison said, smiling at his little champion. She nodded and smiled back before popping away.

"Thanks, Dobby," Draco murmured with a squeeze to the little elf's shoulder. Dobby nodded with a grin and popped away, as well. The blond opened the missive and read it, eyes widening in surprise. "Mum wants us to come to the Manor. She says that she has something about which she wishes to speak with us."

* * *

They stepped from the floo and dusted themselves off before going to the salon where they were to meet Narcissa. Their eyes widened in surprise as they entered the room, shocked to see the person sitting across from the statuesque blonde. She rose gracefully from her chair and strode toward the boys with a small smile on her face. "Come in, boys," she murmured softly. "I have someone I would like you to meet." She escorted the children to her visitor to make introductions. "This is Harrison Riddle, my future son-in-law," the raven dipped his head respectfully, "this is Neville Longbottom, my son," the brunet nodded his head with a bemused smile, "and this is Draco, my firstborn," the blond smiled widely at the visitor. Narcissa then turned to the boys. "This is Sunflower Blessing. She is well known in the muggle world for her fiction novels. She has written a series of books about vampires, as well as books taking a different approach to the standard muggle fairy tales. As well, she's written two books about witches, along with several individual novels."

"Very pleased to meet you, Miss Blessing," Harrison said with awe. "I've read My Vampire Lover at least a dozen times. It's probably one of the best fiction novels about vampires that I've ever seen."

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle," the woman replied, blushing. "I'm very glad that someone of your reputation has enjoyed my story."

"My reputation?" the raven queried, confused.

"Yes. You are, after all, the Savior of the wizarding world." Harrison grimaced at the title, then looked at the woman sheepishly.

"I will apologize in advance for the five pounds that will be taken from your account," he said, eyes on the floor. "I am no longer the Savior, and I've placed a restriction on anyone using that, or Chosen One, or Boy Who Lived, both verbal and written. It is, in my opinion, slander since I don't acknowledge any of it as true, and the punishment is having a galleon, or five pounds if you're muggleborn, taken from your accounts."

"Oh, my," Sunflower murmured, hand to her mouth. "I am sorry for offending you like that. I take no issue with the penalty, and I understand completely why you would take such action."

"Thank you for your understanding. Now, if I may, why are you here?"

"Narcissa is a really good friend of mine," the author replied as the boys found seats. "I am, as you have probably surmised, a muggleborn. Though I don't live in the wizarding world, I do make frequent forays here, to gain inspiration, and to gather information for my novels. I also visit this lovely woman from time to time, and she has informed me that you wish to widen the forms of entertainment for the wizarding world. An excellent goal, I must admit, and one that is long overdue. So, I have decided to put you in touch with some unknown novelists, both halfblood and muggleborn, that are seeking an avenue in which to publish their works. We get together to compare notes, and to critique each others' works, in the hopes of improving them. I'll leave you with a list of names and addresses, so that you may contact them and, perhaps, invite them to become a part of your stable of writers."

"That's fantastic," Draco enthused happily. "You've just made our job a little easier."

* * *

"I think we should visit the Longbottoms," Tom said. It was two days before Christmas, and the men were ensconced, once again, in the Dark Lord's den. They had been discussing Christmas gifts, when Tom decided that he would go and see if there was something that he could do for the Longbottoms. He was saddened that Neville had to do without his parents for so long, and was intent on seeing if he could give them back to the Ravenclaw as a 'gift'. He'd grown incredibly fond of the former Gryffindor, and wanted to see him happy.

"For what purpose?" asked Lucius softly.

"I would like to see if there is anything we can do to free them from their minds," Tom replied thoughtfully. "Since I _know_ that it wasn't any of my people to cause their infirmity, in spite of Dumbledore's efforts to pin it on the Lestranges and Barty, I think that, perhaps, there might be some way to pull them out of their minds."

"Do you wish me to go along?" Severus asked.

"No, love. You stay here with the boys. Don't let them know what we're up to; I don't want Neville to get his hopes up, only for them to be shattered if it doesn't work. I'll take Rodolphus and Rabastan with me, as well as Lucius. Once I've looked into their minds, I can figure out what had taken place, and, hopefully, repair it."

* * *

The group arrived at St. Mungo's, where they were immediately led to the Janus Thickey ward. The Healer in Charge was notified beforehand of their purpose, and was anxious to see if anything could be done for her patients. They entered the Longbottoms' room and quietly approached the two beds. The Healer in Charge was told to put the pair in a magical coma for the time being, so that they could work undisturbed. "Lucius, I need you to hold Frank's eyes open, so that I may enter his mind." The blond stepped forward and gently peeled the eyelids back, exposing blank hazel eyes to the Dark Lord. " _Legilimens_ ," he whispered, slipping effortlessly into Frank's memories. He wandered around in the chaotic atmosphere for a few moments, looking for the point at which the man's mind had splintered. It was as he was approaching the memories surrounding the night of November 3, 1991. There were confusing blank spots in these memories, most specifically surrounding the supposed invasion and abduction of Frank Longbottom. Tom also saw flashes of faces, most specifically Albus Dumbledore and Didalus Diggle, before excruciating pain had struck, driving the Dark Lord out of the man's mind.

"It appears," Tom said after he had caught his breath, "that one of the old man's sycophantic followers had attempted a memory modification, and had damaged the Longbottoms' minds. I do not know if it was deliberate, or if he had not realized what he had done before he turned his wand on Alice, but it is reparable. However, I do not have the precision necessary to repair that part of his memories. So, I need you, Rodolphus, and you, Rabastan, to enter his mind and work your magic to fix the issues. Lucius and I will act as anchors."

"Gladly, Tom," the brothers replied before getting to work.

* * *

"The Longbottoms are in a warded room in the east wing," Tom told Severus. "They are, understandably, a bit confused. It will be your job to see to their needs, and try and get them up to speed about what's happening in the wizarding world, as well as catching them up on the progress of their son. Be careful when explaining what happened to Dumbledore; I do not wish for them to have a relapse."

"Understood, love," Severus replied. "I'll be very gentle about things."

* * *

 _Madam Longbottom,_

 _I would like you to attend our Yule celebration tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., at Slytherin Keep. I am sure that you will wish to spend some of the holiday with your grandson. As well, I have a…_ _ **surprise**_ _for you. Please reply as soon as possible._

 _Tom Riddle  
_

* * *

 _Lord Riddle,_

 _Thank you for your gracious invitation, and I would love to attend. I thank you for taking such good care of my grandson. He has expressed a great deal of respect and fondness for you, which tells me that you are not what you once were. The changes being made to our world are long overdue, and I am looking forward to being of some assistance to you, should you need it._

 _Augusta Longbottom  
_

* * *

The twenty-fifth dawned cold and brisk, the winter winds howling against the windows and throwing sleet in ticking patterns against the panes. Harrison awoke first, wrapped around his boyfriend with his face snuggled into the back of the blond's neck. Feeling brave, he brushed his lips against the warm flesh, smirking as a shiver undulated through the body in his arms. Draco shifted a little, then rolled over in Harrison's arms, silver eyes blinking slowly open and staring up into his boyfriend's sleepily. Succumbing to the urge, Harrison leaned down and gently brushed his lips against Draco's, startling a gasp from the blond beneath him. "Good morning, love," the raven whispered, emerald eyes gleaming gently.

"Morning," the blond mumbled back, face flushed from the sweet kiss. He leaned up and brushed his own lips against Harrison's before pulling from his boyfriend's arms and rolling from the bed. Harrison lay there, watching as Draco stretched, the silk pajama shirt riding up and revealing a strip of pale flesh to the raven's greedy eyes. Marshaling his thoughts to try and get his raging hormones under control, the brunet left the bed and went to the mantle of the fireplace in his rooms, plucking a small wrapped package from the shelf and turning to his love, who had come up behind him.

"Happy Christmas, Draco," Harrison said shyly as he handed the small parcel to the blond. Silver eyes dropped to the gift as his fingers carefully plucked the satiny white paper from the box. Draco's eyes widened in surprise as he saw that it was a black velvet hinged box. Eyes darting back up to his boyfriend, he dropped his gaze back to the box, pulling back the lid and gasping at what was inside. It was a silver promise ring, studded with sapphires. Inside the band was inscribed _You have my heart, now and forever_.

"Th-thank you, Harrison," the blond whispered as he pulled the ring from the box and slid it on his left ring finger. He then rummaged in his robe pocket, pulling out an equally small, wrapped parcel. Handing it to Harrison, the blond dropped his eyes shyly to his toes, waiting anxiously for the raven to open it. Harrison pulled the deep green paper from the box and opened the hinged lid, emerald eyes widening in pleasure at what was revealed. It, too, was a gold promise ring, studded with emeralds. Engraved on the inside of the band was _I will love you to the end of time._ Instantly he pulled it from the box and slipped it on his left ring finger before pulling the blond into his arms and squeezing tight.

"I love you, Draco," the raven whispered happily, glad that Draco was on the same page.


	32. Chapter 32

**Thirty-second**

A Yule log burned merrily in the fireplace; next to it stood a ritual table, outfitted with the requisite candles, decorations, and gifts for the goddess. Tom had asked the wives of Jugson, Selwyn, Bulstrode and Rosier to perform the parts of High Priestess, Maiden, Mother, and Crone, and watched with awe as the ceremony yielded a glow to the room. Tom felt the hand of the goddess stroke through his hair, as a loving mother would, and for the first time understood the power and importance of the wizarding rituals and rites. Her blessing, to him and all who had attended, lightened his heart, and healed yet more of the scars and wounds he'd grown up with, making him feel even more whole.

"That was _wonderful_ ," he heard his son breathe next to him.

"It was," the older man concurred, his own hand carding through Harrison's hair gently. "I feel so much better now. I did not realize, until now, just how important these rituals really _are_."

"This is why I've been fighting so hard to have them returned," Lucius murmured. "These rituals let the goddess know how much we love and appreciate her. Without them, we could very well lose our magic." The solemnity of the ceremony was broken by a high-pitched giggle. Turning, everyone watched as Sandie blushed at the sudden attention. She was wearing a lovely pearl and emerald bracelet with a matching ring, to go with her necklace. On her dress was pinned a butterfly brooch, made of fire opals and black opals, interspersed with seed pearls. The bracelet was a gift from Harrison, the ring from Tom, and the pin from Draco. Neville had gotten her two more pairs of shoes; one pair in sparkling emerald, and the other in black patent leather.

"I is being sorry for being interrupting," she said softly. "I is being here telling you that Master Neville's parents is being restless." Longbottom turned wide, startled eyes to Tom, a look of bitter betrayal filming over them.

"It's not like that, Neville," Severus quickly said, before the teen could run away. "Tom, Lucius, Rodolphus and Rabastan went to St. Mungo's to see if they could do anything to help your parents, since the 'attack' that Dumbledore had spread was a lie. One of Albus' sycophants had performed a botched memory charm on your parents, which broke their minds. However, the damage was reparable, and was done by the Lestranges. Your mother and father are, once again, whole, and are anxious to see you."

"Really?" Neville whispered harshly, looking at Tom with unguarded hope.

"Yes, really. Since Sandie _spoiled_ the surprise," Riddle glared playfully at the little unrepentant elf, "then she shall lead you to their rooms." Harrison's champion held her hand out to Neville, gently tugging him from the room.

"You gave Nev back his parents," Harrison said with awe, staring up at his father with love gleaming in his eyes. "Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

"I can't give you back _your_ parents," the man replied softly. "I can't undo all of the torture you had been subjected to whilst you were growing up. I can't give you your beloved Hedwig back." Harrison smiled and wrapped his arms around his father, squeezing tight. Tom reciprocated, bending down to bury his nose in his son's hair.

"I love my parents, but I don't want them back. I wouldn't be who I am today if they were here now. I _like_ who I am, and it's all because of you. We're taking care of the Dursleys; we're punishing them for their treatment of me, so I don't worry about my upbringing. Besides, it only made me stronger. As for Hedwig…I will always love her. She was my first, true friend. My life is different now; I have all of you, and I have Ares, who has become just as important to me as Hedwig was. I couldn't ask for, nor do I think I deserve, a better life than I already have. I love you, Father. I always will."

* * *

"Welcome to my home, Madam Longbottom," Tom said as he escorted the woman from the floo room. "We are having dinner in the largest dining room, as I have invited several of my son's friends, as well as my associates. I hope they will not make you uncomfortable."

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Riddle," the old woman replied with a surprised smile. "I do not think that they will trouble me too much. I understand that a lot of what they had done was under duress, and I do not fault them for their need to protect themselves or their families. I am just grateful that things have changed so much, and for the better."

"I appreciate the sentiments, and the careful way you stated your opinion," Riddle responded wryly. "I know that I was in a bad way for a long time, but my son has brought me a happiness I'd never known, and I would do anything to make him proud of me."

"I believe you've succeeded admirably," Augusta reassured as she was led through the dining room door. Anything else she would have said dried up as she spied her son and daughter-in-law, sitting on either side of her grandson. Her eyes widened, and grateful tears began to fall as she saw the sanity in their clear, bright eyes.

"Happy Yule," Tom whispered to her as he carefully led her to the empty chair beside Frank. He pulled it out and guided her into it, grinning at the shell-shocked look on her face.

"Isn't it wonderful, Gran?" Neville burst out excitedly. "Tom, Lucius, Rodolphus and Rabastan have returned Mum and Dad to us!"

"Frank?" Augusta whispered tearfully, her hand shaking as she lay it against his warm cheek. His own hand rose to hold hers against his face as he smiled softly at his mother.

"I'm here, Mum," he answered softly. "Alice is here, too. We…we're happy to be back."

"How…how was this possible?" Madam Longbottom asked the room, eyes scanning from Tom to Lucius.

"Your children were wounded with badly done memory charms," Lucius answered her question. "Tom wanted to give Neville back his parents. He'd grown rather fond of the Ravenclaw, as had the rest of us, and he didn't like that your grandson had to do without his parents. So we made arrangements with the Healer in Charge at St. Mungo's, and went in to see what the damage was. When Tom entered Frank's mind, he saw the misfired memory charm, and encouraged Rabastan and Rodolphus to go into both his and Alice's minds, to fix the damage."

"Why didn't you do it, Tom?" Neville asked curiously, his left hand in his mum's right, while his right hand was wrapped in his father's left.

"I…lacked the subtlety and precision that was needed to repair the damage. The Lestranges have had more experience with this kind of meticulous mind manipulation, and were more suited to affect the repairs necessary."

"Thank you, Lord Riddle, for returning my children to me," Augusta said wetly. "I will be forever in your debt for making my family whole again. Anything you need, just ask. If it is within my power, it is yours."

* * *

Narcissa had started the annual Yule Ball without Lucius; he had remained behind at Slytherin Keep to help the Longbottoms get ready for the storm that would descend upon them, once they arrived at Malfoy Manor. So it was a very nervous group that flooed through, dusting themselves off before entering the ballroom. The other guests were circulating and chattering, and there were a fair few reporters from all kinds of newspapers present as well. Xenophilius had brought his own pad and quill, and had already gotten his interview during their dinner, so he wandered off, setting up listening charms every now and then to see what everyone else would have to say. No one noticed the new arrivals at first, but then Amelia Bones gasped, alerting those around her, who had looked in the direction she was staring. More murmurs and exclamations followed, until nearly every eye was on the group of people standing near the ballroom doors.

There was a flurry of activity as several reporters, with Rita Skeeter in front, scurried toward the group, quills out over notepads and photographers snapping picture after picture. "Why are your parents out of the Janus Thickey ward, Mr. Longbottom?" the beetle animagus barked loudly. Neville flushed with embarrassed anger at the brusque, rude way the woman spoke to him. However, before he could answer, a deep voice came from his right.

"We're out of the hospital because we've been cured," Frank snapped at the callous woman. "Tom Riddle came to the hospital and took a look at us. He discovered that the damage done to us was repairable, and had the Lestrange brothers heal us."

"So what was the damage done to you, and why would you trust Voldemort or the Lestranges?" Rita asked, a wide smirk on her face. Her quick-quotes-quill was doing overtime, writing misinformation that hadn't even been given yet. Tom scowled at the use of his former moniker, smirking moments later, as he knew that it would come back to bite the bitch in the arse. Unfortunately for her, there were a plethora of witnesses to the interview, who would, in the days following, rip her, and by extension the _Daily Prophet_ , to shreds, thereby cementing _The Quibbler_ as the only valuable source of information in the British wizarding world.

"Albus Dumbledore and one of his Order of the Phoenix members tried to alter our memories so that our story would agree with his version of events after the fall of Voldemort," Alice said in a strong, clear voice. Many eyebrows rose even as they all shuddered, impressed with the woman's ability to use the Dark Lord's dreaded name without fear. "Unfortunately, in his eagerness to spin things his way, his minion inflicted a great deal of damage to our minds, locking us within our own thoughts. The Lestranges had absolutely nothing to do with our incapacitation; nor did Bartemius Crouch, Jr. It was all due to Albus Dumbledore and Didalus Diggle that we spent twelve years away from our son, and our mother."

"Will you be taking the Dark Mark, and become one of Voldemort's minions?" the beetle animagus asked with a sneer. "After all, with the way you are defending him, it seems to me that you would be the perfect foot soldiers for his insane campaign."

"How _dare_ you!" Augusta snarled loudly, making more than a few people flinch back. "I've just received the best present I could _ever_ have, and you belittle it by casting aspersions on the characters of, not only my daughter and son, but my grandson, as well as Tom Riddle and the Lestranges. You, with your poisoned mind and poisoned pen, dare to stand in judgment of those better than you! And for what? For the opportunity to write the juiciest story? Never mind the lives you destroy with your vile, vicious words. Just you wait, you vicious _bitch_! Your day will come. Mark my words."

* * *

The next day's _Daily Prophet_ headline article was a humdinger, and signaled the end of the paper for good.

 _ **LONGBOTTOMS FAKING THEIR OWN ILLNESS!**_

' _ **Miracle' healing a hoax!**_

 _Rita Skeeter, reporter_

 _Hello, my wonderful readers! I trust that you have had a good holiday? Mine was spectacular. I was invited, as a part of a cadre of reporters from all over, to be present at the annual Yule Ball held at Malfoy Manor, with the promise of good food and drink, dancing, and entertainment; and oh, what entertainment there was to be had! To my everlasting shock and surprise, Frank and Alice Longbottom had attended the Ball, accompanied by their son, Neville Longbottom, and their mother, Augusta Longbottom. They arrived in grand fashion, being escorted by none other than Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape and the Dark Lord Voldemort. Our_ _ **Savior**_ _was also part of this little assembly, with Death Eater in training Draco Malfoy rounding out the group. I instantly confronted them about their supposed 'spell damage', and this is what they had to say._

" _Voldemort had us placed with Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, under cover as 'Aurors', so that we could take apart his organization, as well as his reputation, from the inside," Frank told me with a malicious gleam in his eye. "Alice and I were also to help him gain a foothold within the Ministry, by throwing our names and reputations behind those of his lesser known Death Eaters to ensure that they were employed at various levels of management, as well as law enforcement."_

" _That's right," his wife, Alice, chimed in, smirking smugly. "Everything was going according to plan, until Dumbledore cottoned on to who we were working for, and began to have us followed. So, one day one of his idiot sycophants confronted us about our duplicity. We killed him and disposed of the body. Figuring that his absence would be noticed, we faked our own spell damage and checked ourselves into St. Mungo's, where some of our Lord's people helped us hide in plain sight. I tell you, it was a grand vacation for the both of us. We enjoyed recuperating on the public dole, waiting until the time was right to re-emerge and lift our Lord up to the status he deserved as leader of the wizarding world."_

 _So, there you have it, good readers. We've been played for fools by these unscrupulous, loathsome people for_ _ **years**_ _. We've allowed the wolves in sheep's clothing to invade every aspect of our Ministry, and we've signed our own death warrants. Pray for us all._

The instant uproar caused by this article had the editors and solicitors for the paper scrambling madly to try and contain the damage, but it was too late. The first blow was a class-action lawsuit against the _Prophet_ for slander; solicitor Dancere had been able to speak to the Wizengamot at length during Harrison's second year, and had new laws put into place to punish publishing firms that printed outright lies in order to damage a person's reputation. So the Longbottoms instantly took advantage of the new law, suing the _Prophet_ for millions of galleons, and, in the process, bankrupting Rita Skeeter. As well, she lost her job, her reputation in ruins because of the suit.

The second blow was to the _Prophet's_ readership. In droves the subscriptions to the paper were canceled, and the paper languished in newsstands that didn't care what they sold, as long as it _sold_. More reputable retailers refused outright to carry the paper anymore, instead choosing to carry _The Quibbler_ , thereby increasing Xeno's readership by a substantial margin. As the British wizarding populace continued to read, they also continued to learn, with many Neutral and Light pureblood families, and quite a few Dark pureblood families, becoming excited for the new advances discussed within _The Quibbler's_ pages.

To add insult to injury, Rita Skeeter lost a galleon to Harrison's vault for slandering him, and the _Prophet_ also lost a galleon. Thoroughly bankrupted from the actions of a single reporter, the _Prophet_ closed its doors for good on January 1, 1994. Several of the more reputable reporters then approached Xenophilius for a chance to write for his paper, hoping against hope that their stint with the now defunct scandal rag wouldn't hold them back. Lovegood was thrilled to have some of the _Prophet's_ more well respected writers, and those he couldn't accommodate, he sent to Tom, where they discussed possibly writing for his son's developing publishing and distribution company.

* * *

Molly Weasley's mind had, indeed, been altered. Albus had implanted suggestions during one of his infrequent visits to the Burrow; subtle nudges to get her on board with his agenda. He had canceled out her instant knee-jerk reaction to any child in pain or trouble to ensure that she wouldn't interfere in his efforts to turn Harrison Riddle into the perfect weapon and puppet. Once those magics were released, she was flooded with shame and guilt, apologizing to the teen tearfully. Harrison instantly eased Molly's mind, reminding her that it wasn't her fault. That she had been manipulated into her way of thinking by the old goat.

Toward the end of the holiday, she had invited Harrison, Severus, Lucius, Draco and Tom to the Burrow. She was anxious to show off what her wonderful house elves had done for her and her family. So, the last weekend of the holiday they went to the twins' home, smiling at the awed expressions on the boys' faces as they took in their family home for the first time in a while. The house elves had completely remodeled the building and grounds. Gone was the shaky, rickety vertical house, and in its place was a sprawling ranch-style home, with a cellar potions lab. The domicile sprawled over several thousand feet, with each child's room a suite that included a sitting room as well as a bathroom. Vegetable gardens, as well as sculpted flower gardens and landscaping surrounded the place, turning it into a wonderful paradise. Sirius had given Molly money to help with the renovations; since she was related to him through marriage, and Arthur had betrayed the Black family values so badly, he felt, as the last Head of House Black, that he should be responsible for caring for his extended family. She tried to refuse; everyone was being so very generous of late, and she was a little uncomfortable at accepting what she thought of as charity. Sirius would not be denied, however. He sat her down and explained a few simple truths to her, making her cry for ten minutes before they finally got down to brass tacks.

The visit was eye-opening for Harrison and Tom. They got to see, first hand, exactly _how_ Molly would have treated the teen, had she been in her right mind. She mothered him to an alarming degree, making him wonder, for the first time, if he'd been too hasty in canceling his friendship with Ron. However, the redhead in question only solidified the raven's thoughts on their falling out when he emerged from his bedroom. He took one look at Harrison, scowled, snapped "Traitor," and returned to his room.

* * *

The return to Hogwarts after the holiday was exuberant; everyone was excited to see the reactions of the students over the fact that the _Prophet_ was dead. Neville was still walking on clouds; he'd gone back to Longbottom Manor with his grandmother and parents right after the Ball, anxious to spend as much time with his mum and dad as he could before he returned. Harrison understood completely, thrilled that his best mate was finally happy and whole again. When they got to the school, they were inundated with requests to meet by students from every House and every year. Grinning at his friends, Harrison turned to the Great Hall and raised his hands, calling for silence, which was granted nearly instantly. "For all of those interested in joining our ventures, please meet us at the Room of Requirement. We'll talk more then."


	33. Chapter33

**Thirty-third**

"How would you all like to go on a little field trip?" Tom asked everyone in Severus' office. It was a Saturday, and everyone was lounging around the office, chatting about this and that. Draco perked up instantly; he was bored out of his mind.

"What kind of field trip?" the blond asked eagerly.

"Would you like to see the Chamber of Secrets?" Riddle queried softly, a small smile on his face. Every eye widened in excitement at the thought of seeing Slytherin's famed sanctuary. Everyone scurried to the door, vibrating with anticipation. It was Neville, Luna, Draco, Harrison, Lucius, Remus, Sirius, Seamus, Dean and the twins. That all of them had fit in the small office was a miracle in itself. Tom chuckled as he strode to the door, opening it. "Follow me, and be quiet," he admonished. All you could hear in the silent halls was the shuffling of feet as they crept to the second floor unused girl's bathroom.

"What are we doing here, Father?" Harrison asked his dad in a whisper.

"This is where the entrance is," he replied, putting a finger to his lips. They entered the bathroom and Tom threw locking and silencing charms on the door, to ensure that no one else would come in. He strode forward, everyone else following like baby ducklings, until he stopped at a particular sink. It had a carving of a serpent on the faucet, and Riddle bent forward, hissing _open_. With a mighty rumble, the sink moved aside, revealing a dark tunnel, with a slide connected to the entrance.

"Awesome!" the twins chirped happily, diving head first down the tunnel. Everyone heard the shrieks of delight from the boys, laughing joyously. One by one, the rest of the children followed suit, various cries of excitement and terror wafting up through the hole in the floor. Tom then turned to Lucius with an arched brow.

"I will _not_ lower myself to sliding down a ramp like a common hooligan," the blond said, nose in the air.

"Live a little, Lucius," Sirius jibed, elbowing the elder blond out of the way so he could dive into the hole with a whoop. Laughing at his friend's behavior, Remus followed at a more sedate pace, with Severus bringing up the rear.

He looked back at his oldest friend for a moment, anticipation on his face. "I do not know about you, but I will not miss this for the world." Leaping lightly into the hole, Lucius could hear a shout of glee from the Potions Master. He snorted in amusement before heaving a sigh.

"Very well, if I _must_." He carefully approached the hole, bending over slightly to look into the recess. Riddle, in a fit of playfulness, nudged Lucius in the back, making him lose his balance. With a high-pitched, girlish shriek, he tumbled down the shaft, cursing the whole way. Laughing softly to himself, Tom jumped into the shaft, coming out at the bottom. The glare that Lucius gave the Dark Lord could've peeled the paint off the side of a barn, it was so full of venom. "If you _ever_ do that again, I will rip you to shreds."

"Duly noted," Tom replied with laughter in his voice. "Now, if you all will follow me." They slowly wended their way through the underground tunnels, flinching every now and then as they stepped on the mummified bones of long dead animals.

"Why are there so many animal bones down here?" Severus asked curiously. A smirk was the only reply the man received, and he closed his eyes, fingers going to the bridge of his nose. "I suppose I will regret that question in time," he murmured before continuing on. They finally made it to the main chamber, and Tom once again hissed _open_. Everyone watched, fascinated, as the seal on the door began to spin, and the rods holding the door closed began to withdraw. He pulled the heavy door open with a flourish, bowing at the waist with his right arm out.

"Welcome, to the fabled Chamber of Secrets."

* * *

They had been exploring for a while when a question occurred to Harrison. He turned to his dad curiously. "Why _are_ there so many animal bones down here? There's also a lot of shed snakeskin, and scales. What kind of serpent lives down here?"

"Slytherin's familiar was a basilisk," Tom explained, watching with amusement as everyone's eyes widened with alarm. "Do not worry; when Salazar died, his familiar went into hibernation. She can only be awakened by someone who speaks parseltongue. In fact, had you not approached me as you did in first year, Harrison, I would have, at some point, loosed the serpent on the school, to attack all the muggleborns."

"Lucky for us that you came along when you did, Harrison," Neville said with humor. "Merlin only knows what kind of trouble you would've gotten up to with a dangerous snake loose in the school." Snickers met this declaration, and the Riddle heir flushed with embarrassment.

"Ha ha," he said sarcastically. "Anyway, would you be able to wake it up?"

"Why would you want a deadly, dangerous snake woken up, Harrison?" Lucius asked incredulously. "You do realize that they kill with their gaze."

"I know," the raven replied. "It's just that, being that basilisks are so rare, this would probably be the only time I'd get to see one in the flesh."

"He does have a point, Father," Draco concurred. "It would be the opportunity of a lifetime to see a living basilisk."

"As well, I could get permission to harvest some materials from the snake. Basilisk parts and venom are exceedingly rare and expensive. There are a plethora of potions I've developed that require basilisk bits to make," Severus agreed eagerly.

"Let me see what I can do," Tom replied. "Harrison can come with me, since he has the ability to communicate more effectively with beasts than any of us."

"Okay," the raven replied excitedly. He hopped up and down on his toes, waiting impatiently for his father to lead the way.

* * *

"Can you hear her?" Tom asked in a hushed voice. They were in the tunnels that extended from the head of Salazar's statue, and they could hear the slow, even breathing of the great serpent.

"Yeah," Harrison replied with a grin. "Thank Merlin she doesn't snore. I can't imagine how loud that would be in these tunnels." Tom snorted laughter as they made their careful way closer to the serpent's den. The cave she slept in was massive, and yet her bulk still didn't quite fit in the cavern. Slowly, the pair approached her head, marveling at the beauty she represented. Harrison couldn't help himself; he reached out and stroked his hand along her side, enjoying the feel of her soft scales and flexing muscles beneath his fingers. The serpent's head rose, mouth open as she prepared to spit her venom. Instantly, Tom and Harrison backed up, putting a little distance between them and the serpent.

" _I'm sorry that I have disturbed you,"_ the raven said quietly, eyes on the floor to avoid her gaze. _"I do not mean you any harm. I've never seen a basilisk before, and I wanted to admire your beauty and strength."_

" _ **You speak the serpent's tongue,"**_ the basilisk replied, calming somewhat. _**"I've only ever met one other person who spoke the serpent's tongue, and he was my bonded wizard. I have not seen, nor spoken to, another being in a very long time. What is it that you require?"**_

" _My family, friends and I would like to see you; perhaps to speak with you for a time, if that's all right."_

" _ **I would be delighted. I have been very lonely down here, and it would be nice to visit with someone for a while."  
**_

* * *

"I can't _believe_ it," Fred gushed happily. "She was absolutely gorgeous."

"Good thing she kept her eyes closed the whole time," George said pragmatically. "Wouldn't have wanted to die right now. Still got so much to do yet."

"Thank you, Harrison, for securing so many wonderful things for my potions stores," Severus told the raven. "I have enough materials here to last me a very long time."

"You're welcome, Dad," the teen replied with a grin. "I'm just happy that we've made arrangements for her to go to an endangered wildlife sanctuary."

"Agreed," Tom said. "She was too rare and beautiful to keep here at the school. As well, it was very dangerous. There's no telling what could have happened. She may have awakened some time in the future, and slaughtered all the students and staff."

* * *

Sirius was on his way to Tom's office to discuss exploring his other properties for suitable conversion to orphanages, his mind on the prospect of confronting his mother's portrait, when he bumped into someone, nearly knocking the man to the ground. "Merlin, I'm sorry," the animagus murmured, grabbing the other man's arm to steady him. "Wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"That's all right," the other man replied, brushing his hands down his robes to erase the wrinkles. "I was thinking about my lesson plan for Harrison Riddle, and wasn't paying attention, either."

"You're Harrison's tutor?" Sirius asked, looking at the pale face before him. He had a vague memory of the man; something to do with the Death Eaters. Then it hit him. "You're Bartemius Crouch, Jr., aren't you?"

"I am," the other man answered hesitantly. "Do I know you?"

"Probably not. I'm Sirius Black. I'm one of Harrison's godfathers."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Black," Barty said, sticking his hand out. Sirius grasped it to shake, and a frisson of magic passed through their hands, startling them. Barty pulled his hand away, shaking it a little.

"Would…would you like to go out to dinner with me?" Sirius asked. He'd been raised in a pureblood household, and knew all about magical connections. It may not be more than a sibling-like bond, but the animagus was willing to explore it. Besides, he'd seen Barty around, and thought he was attractive.

Barty flushed scarlet; he'd seen the animagus around, and was very attracted to the man. To have him asking for a date was a dream come true. "I would love to," he replied softly, eyes on the floor shyly.

"Excellent. I'll owl you with the arrangements."

* * *

"Okay, this is Black Manor. We're a hop, skip and jump from Hogwarts." They were standing near a vast loch in the highlands of Scotland. The manor stood before them, an imposing citadel made of dark stone, with towers at each corner. It was several floors high, and surrounded by lush grasslands and a dense forest in the distance. "It has all the muggle repelling charms surrounding the lands, as well as some very strong family wards. It'll keep the devil himself out." They entered the building after Sirius fed some of his blood to the knocker on the door. Instantly a house elf popped into view, bowing until its nose touched the floor.

"I is being Tabby. I is being the head house elf. How is Tabby being helping Master Black and his friend?"

"We're here to have a look around at the place," Sirius replied. "We want to see if it would be suitable to serve as a magical orphanage and safe house."

"Very good, Master Black. Call Tabby if you is being needing something." She popped away and the two men continued on their tour. They explored the manor from top to bottom, impressed with the luxury of the place. It had ten bedrooms up on the second floor, and another five on the third. There was a small library on the third floor as well, and the fourth floor was taken up with a game room, a practice room, and a dueling room. The basement held a fully stocked potions lab, and the kitchen was enormous, with three stoves, three ovens, two refrigerators, and four pantries.

"Merlin," Sirius mumbled, "you'd think they were outfitting themselves for the end of the world."

"Considering how things have gone in the wizarding world over the last couple of centuries, it's understandable that families would take these sort of precautions. It only benefits us; there is plenty of room and amenities to safely take care of at least a dozen children, plus their caretakers."

"There is that," Sirius concurred as they walked past a line of portraits. As they got to the last one, a banshee-like shriek erupted from it.

"You filthy, worthless, no good bastard," the woman in the portrait screamed. "You dare to bring filthy halfbloods and mudbloods to our house. This creature isn't fit to lick my _shoes_ , let alone bask in the splendor of Black Manor. You are a disgrace to the Black name and…"

"Madam," Tom growled lowly, eyes glowing crimson, "if you do not cease with your disgusting caterwauling, I will remove you from this manor. When I do, every single portrait of you will disappear as well."

"Who the _hell_ do you think you _are_?" she bellowed, shocked. "You _dare_ to threaten _me_? I have half a mind…"

"That's the problem, you disgusting old cow," Sirius barked harshly. "You only _have_ half a mind. This, my good woman, is Tom Riddle, also known as the Dark Lord Voldemort. I would not suggest vexing him; he is more than capable of eradicating you _permanently_."

"D-dark _Lord_? Merlin, where are my manners. Please make yourself at home. Anything we have is at your disposal."

"Thank you madam. Now, Sirius and I intend to convert this manor house to a magical orphanage, which will house orphans, as well as muggleborns and halfbloods that have been abused. If you have issue with it, I would be most happy to discuss the problem. I am sure that we could come to an _equitable_ solution."

"N-no, no problem," she nattered on nervously. "I'm sure that would be a suitable use for the old place. After all, it shouldn't sit empty when it could be used for something beneficial."

"Good," Tom purred with a smirk on his face. "Now, there are other manors that we will be looking at, which we will probably be converting as well. I suggest that, if you cannot keep a civil tongue in your head, you not visit those portraits in those homes. I have no doubt that we'll leave at least _one_ of your homes untouched. Feel free to haunt _that_ one. If I get word from anyone that you, in any way, have attacked the children living here, I will terminate this half life you currently enjoy. Do you understand?"

"P-perfectly." In all, they chose four of the twelve properties to convert into orphanages. Fortunately, Walburga's portrait wasn't in any of them, so they only had to concern themselves with the one in Scotland. They returned to school in good time, where Sirius went off to visit with Barty, and get to know him, while Tom returned to his own consort.

* * *

The next prank pulled on Ron occurred that following Monday. The twins had put a potion in the boy's pumpkin juice at breakfast that morning. He inhaled it, along with a huge mound of food, before dashing off to potions class. The effects were subtle, and would only be noticed when Ron spoke. Unfortunately, Severus chose that day to have a verbal pop quiz. "Weasley," he barked harshly, "what would you use to put on wounds so that they will not scar?"

The redhead stammered for a moment before the answer came to him. "Y-you would _meow_ bubotuber pus _meow_ wounds." There was dead silence as every student in the class stared at the freckled boy. Then, as one, everyone hooted and howled with laughter, some students falling to the floor and gasping helplessly. Ron only looked at everyone, confused. "What the _meow_?" he barked, not understanding why everyone was laughing, and wanting to be in on the joke. "What's so _meow_ funny?"

Severus let loose with a couple of loud chuckles, hidden by everyone else's laughter, before he got himself under control. "Enough!" he barked loudly. Silence reigned in the classroom as the kids shuffled and moved back to their seats. There could still be stifled giggles and snorts heard, and more than one student was mopping desperately at their eyes. "That is wrong, Mr. Weasley. Ten points from Gryffindor. Finnegan! What color is shrinking solution, when brewed correctly."

"Acid green, sir," the Irish lad answered confidently.

"Very good. Five points to Gryffindor. Malfoy! How long does it take to brew Felix Felicis?

"Six months, sir."

"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin. Riddle! What are the ingredients needed to make polyjuice potion?"

"Lacewing flies that have been stewed 21 days, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed picked at the full moon, shredded boomslang skin, and a bit of the person you wish to become, preferably a strand of hair, sir."

"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin. Patil!" The questioning went on for the full class time, with Slytherin pulling slightly ahead of Gryffindor in points. Every time Ron was asked a question, the answer was always interspersed with cat noises. After the first couple of times, the prank got old fast, and by the end of class, everyone was irritated with the redhead, who wasn't even aware of what he had done to earn the ire of his classmates.

"The twins are mad geniuses," Draco whispered to Harrison as they left the class.

"Seriously," the raven replied gleefully. "I'm just glad they're on _our_ side now."


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** I've done a little something with the performers' names. See if you can figure out what it is.

* * *

 **Thirty-fourth**

"Hey, Fred?" Harrison asked. The kids were ensconced in Tom's personal rooms at the school.

"Yeah, Harrison?" the older teen replied.

"How is your sister doing? Is she able to earn her magical education whilst in Azkaban?"

"She is," George responded. "For as serious a case as Ginny's was, and sometimes kids do pretty nasty things, the Ministry had made provisions to have them educated while they were incarcerated. She'll be able to earn her OWLs and NEWTs while she's there."

"That's good," the raven replied with a small smile. "Though I'll never like her, nor will I ever trust her, I didn't want her to miss out on her magical education. Hopefully when she's released she'll have learned her lesson."

"Right now, her letters to mum are nothing but whinging and bitching," Fred said harshly. "She doesn't seem to realize that you could have pressed for a harsher punishment."

"I guess she's not used to not having her mum and dad there to pander to her every need," the raven responded with a grimace.

"Yeah," George murmured with a moue of disgust. "Mum and dad _did_ give in to her quite a lot. It'll take some time for her to learn that the world doesn't revolve around her. That's surely going to be one painful lesson."

"I think she's learning something of that now," Fred supplied with a smirk. "One of her letters home was full of whinging about not being able to do some of the things that other prisoners on her block are able to do. Because her cellblock is mostly under-aged witches and wizards, there are no dementors prowling, and she's able to earn privileges. But, according to her, she's being treated unfairly, because they're not simply _giving_ her those privileges."

"She'll learn," Draco opined, finally joining the conversation. "Soon enough, she'll realize that anything worth having is worth working toward."

* * *

"Lucius, I've asked you here to give you the news," Tom said to the blond as Malfoy strode into his personal office at the Keep. It was a weekend, and everyone had returned home to get ready for the visit with Lorcan d'Eath and the other performers he was bringing with him. "As of February first, you will be the new Minister of Magic. I had a long talk with Cornelius, and he has agreed that he'd been influenced too greatly by Albus Dumbledore and Rita Skeeter. He's apologized to me, and to my son for the way he took after Harrison in first year. As well, Fudge finally understands that he's not as politically savvy as he should be for the position in which he languishes. So, to that end, he's petitioned the Wizengamot to permit him to retire from the office of Minister of Magic, and has recommended you for the position. With a few little nudges from unexpected places, they've agreed, and will swear you in on February first."

"Thank you, Tom," the blond said with a happy sigh. "I've waited a long time for this. What will we do with Fudge, however?"

"I intend to make him my liaison between the magical and muggle worlds," Tom replied with a small smile. "I've seen the way he deals with the muggle Prime Minister, and I like the way he's able to work with other people. He'll be instrumental in bridging the gap between our worlds, and he'll be able to help us bring in the technologies we're interested in adapting, as well as the rescue of muggleborns and halfbloods that are in dire straits. I showed him the memories of Harrison's stay with the Dursleys, and Fudge is fully onboard with protecting our magical children."

"That's rather unexpected, considering how he's acted over the years," Lucius replied, surprised at the complete one eighty that the former Minister had taken.

"He's…a bit of a 'people pleaser'," Tom answered the unspoken question. "I know the type. Always anxious to make sure that he fits in with everyone, so he changes his attitude and personality to match whatever group with whom he happens to associate. He has an uncanny ability to say whatever the other person wants to hear, while still maintaining his own ideals. He's not above using a bit of deception to get what he wants, once he's ingratiated himself with the powerful, which makes him a good muggle diplomat. Being chameleon-like is a distinct advantage, and one he hasn't been able to capitalize on whilst in office."

"I…never thought of it like that, Tom," Lucius said, surprised. "In retrospect, I can see how he used those skills to survive in the shark-infested waters of politics. Now, however, with the coming changes, that kind of skill would be wasted, or, worse yet, used to a destructive degree."

"Indeed," Tom retorted softly. "With Dumbledore and the _Prophet_ gone, he can now be free to do what he does best, without interference or influence from anyone but you, or me."

* * *

"Lorcan d'Eath," Tom intoned with an expansive bow. "Welcome to Slytherin's Keep. I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with my son, his friends, and I."

"It is no trouble, Lord Riddle," the part-vampire singer replied with a bow of his own. "I was able to meet up with some muggleborn singers I know in the muggle world, who put me in touch with some actors. The singers also wanted to come along, but I told them that we would save that for another day."

"Thank you, sir, for your consideration," Harrison said as he came into the room. He smiled widely at the vampire and held out his hand. "I'm Harrison Salazar Riddle, and I see you've met my father, Tom."

"Pleasure to meet you, Heir-Lord Riddle," Lorcan answered with a toothy smile, shaking the teen's hand. "The others will be here momentarily; they're gathering together their information. I must say, I was greatly intrigued when Neville contacted me about your projects. I think it's a marvelous idea to expand the British magical world to include more entertainments than we now have. Including some of their technologies would be spectacular, as well. It will definitely give the muggleborns more reason to stay in the wizarding world."

"That is a large part of why we are doing this," Tom told the man as the floo activated behind him, admitting several more people. "In order to keep our world _safe_ , we need to encourage the muggleborns to _stay_. We can't do that if we have nothing to offer them."

"My friends are here," d'Eath said softly, turning to introduce them. "This is Alan Neeson, Ian McDowell, Anthony Beckinsdale, Gary Rickman, Tim Oldman, Helena McKellen Curry, Malcolm Carter, Julian Hopkins, Timothy Bonham, Kate Sands, and Liam Spall. They are professional actors and actresses." He turned to the other group, as they had decided to separate themselves based on employment. "These are comedians, and they are Hugh Gervais, John Palin, Rowan Izzard, Michael Idle, Jennifer Laurie, Eric Cleese, Ricky Atkinson, and Eddie Saunders."

"I'm happy to meet you all," Harrison said with a wide grin. "I am Harrison Salazar Riddle, and this is my father, Tom Marvolo Riddle. If you will follow us, I will introduce you to the rest of the group."

* * *

"Well, that meeting was highly successful," Tom said as they gathered in the den. "We now have a list of names of people who wish to rejoin the wizarding world and help us to become better and stronger as a magical nation."

"Have we decided where we're going to build the movie theater?" George asked curiously. He and Fred had taken to asking Harrison or Severus any time a muggle word came up that they weren't sure about, and their vocabulary was expanding by leaps and bounds.

"Well, I thought we'd create an entertainment district down Knockturn Alley," Lucius opined softly, smirking at all the startled looks he'd received.

"But…but that's a _Dark_ area," Neville murmured, shocked. "We can't go _there_."

"Why not?" Harrison asked. "Once Lucius gets into office, those old, outdated, and quite frankly _divisive_ exclusionary laws will be abolished. Magic should be _free_. You can't blame _it_ for the crimes and criminals. You have to blame the _perpetrators_. No matter how many different types of magics you try to exclude, there will _always_ be criminals, who will use whatever magics they can to do what they want."

"That's a fair point, son," Tom said proudly. "It has always been, and always will be, the intent of the magical, and _not_ the magic, that makes it good or bad. Instead of punishing people for their _affinity_ , we should be monitoring them for their _intentions_. Once magic is freed, the criminal activity should abate a great deal. It's only because those with a Dark or deep Neutral affinity are forced to supplant who they are in order to get along with everyone else that issues arise. The Ministry should never try and control its populace; that only breeds discontent and revolution. It should only control magic for the youngsters. Once they reach a certain age, then their magic should be allowed free rein, like everyone else."

"As for Knockturn Alley, it exists because the Ministry has driven Dark witches and wizards away from the mainstream population, by excluding them for their affinity," Lucius continued his train of thought. "If we refurbish it, and make it more appealing to _all_ kinds of witches and wizards, while at the same time making the Dark factions feel more accepted and welcome, we'll be able to turn things around, and reduce the amount of crime in that area. Many of those in Knockturn are there because they're not accepted anywhere else. They have _no other options_ for employment. So, they do what they can to make a living. It's all about _survival_ for them, and, if the situation were reversed, I'm sure that _Light_ witches and wizards would resort to the same solutions in order to survive."

"I never really thought of it like that," Neville finally stated in the short silence that followed Lucius' statements. "We'd been brainwashed for so long, believing that the criminals did what they did because they were _bad_. It didn't even occur to me that they didn't have any other way to _be_."

"That's a bit of an oversimplification," Tom pointed out carefully. "While the majority of Dark witches and wizards _do_ commit petty crimes for their survival, there are those who do things simply for the pleasure of causing pain and disruption. Over the coming months, Lucius and I will be working on methods to discover and contain those who wish to do evil because they want to."

"Like that pureblood group that you're spying on," Fred said, eyes narrowed. Tom nodded his agreement. "They want to disrupt everything you're trying to do for our world, because they believe that the _old_ way you did things, by torture and violence, was the better way to accomplish things."

"Yes," Tom answered. "In their arrogance, they cannot see that the way I _used_ to do things would only have destroyed us. It would have left us vulnerable to exposure because they would have wanted to venture out into the muggle world and punish those who have no magic, erroneously thinking that they're weak and stupid."

"Hey, Father?" Harrison queried. At the older man's nod, he continued. "Why don't we establish a sports club, specifically geared toward firearms training and use? Even if very few people want to carry a weapon, it will at least educate them on the potential dangers of thinking that muggles are easy to overcome. We don't even have to _sell_ weapons in the wizarding world; just have the club be a mandatory part of our magical education. Make it part of muggle studies. Which reminds me. We need to find a different muggle studies professor. We can't keep using magicals to teach this class. None of them know what they're talking about, nor do they have any inkling of how much the muggle world has advanced since the Statute of Secrecy was put into place."

"Another good idea," Lucius said with a proud smile for the Riddle heir. Harrison blushed at the unconditional approval, snuggling into Draco's side happily. "Since shooting will be part of the Olympics that we want to develop, it would be a good idea if we introduce those kinds of weapons to the magical populace before we get the sporting events into place. Get them used to handling and shooting them, and hopefully educate them to the folly of 'muggle-baiting'."

"The public needs to be aware of the CCTV surveillance in the muggle world, too," Harrison continued. "There are video cameras stationed in all sorts of public places, so that the muggles can keep an eye on their little corners of the world. Initially, it was thought to inhibit criminal activity; now it is used to find those who commit the crimes easier, by getting film of their faces, as well as their crimes. So if a magical were to venture into the muggle world and do some magic in a public place, not only would the Ministry be alerted, but the cameras would record the events, which would bring the muggle governments into the picture, as well as their scientific communities. We need to impress upon our people that they _must not_ do magic of _any_ kind in the muggle world, if we are to be able to peacefully coexist with them."

"I have an idea, if anyone's interested," Sirius finally said. He'd been listening to all the information being exchanged, and understood more completely why Dumbledore's way would be a disaster. Tom looked at the animagus with a small smile, glad that he'd given the man a chance. "Since there are very, very few magicals that can do wandless spells, we could have checkpoints set up at the borders, to confiscate their wands if they wish to go into the muggle world."

"How would that be fair?" Draco asked incredulously. "We'd be sitting ducks for them if we gave up our only weapon."

"It wouldn't be your _only_ weapon," Sirius replied with a smirk. "After all, we _are_ planning on training the Hogwarts students on the proper care and use of handguns, are we not? You would be able to go into the muggle world with your gun as protection."

"Um, that won't be possible," Harrison interrupted gently.

"Whyever not?" Draco barked.

"Because those countries in the muggle world who allow handguns to be carried require that you have a legal license to carry one. The laws in Great Britain are very restrictive toward handguns. The licensing process is very tight, requiring the permission of the chief officer of the constabulary in whatever town you wish to carry. The reasoning for carrying a handgun has to be adequate for permission, also. You can't just say you want to carry one, or you have it for protection. Those aren't adequate enough reasons to qualify for a license. You go out into the muggle world with a handgun and you'll be arrested on sight. However, you _are_ permitted to carry hunting rifles and shotguns, and the licensing of _those_ is a bit easier. Then again, you can't really _reasonably_ carry a rifle around with you in public. It would look strange, and suspicious."

"Then how would we be able to protect ourselves?" Neville asked.

"I would suggest knives, but there are a lot of restrictions against having them in public," Severus contributed with a thoughtful frown. "Muggle Great Britain, to a large extent, has one of the lowest homicide by gun rates in the known world. As well, their violent crime rates are rather low, as well. I do not believe we will need to arm ourselves for protection, since I agree that we should leave our wands behind should we wish to venture into the muggle world for any length of time."

"Well," Seamus said with a grin, "we could always take up boxing…"

* * *

" _Master's mate_ ," Harrison heard as he sat on his bed. It was Thursday afternoon, and Draco had a few things he needed to do before he returned to the Slytherin common room.

" _Yes, Colubra?_ " the raven replied, softly hissing.

" _I need your assistance,_ " the center head hissed. _"I am now old enough to bond with my master as his familiar, but I cannot tell him this. Our limited communications are inadequate."_

" _What do you need done, and how can I help?_ "

" _I need you to tell him for me that I must bite him to complete the bond. We will be able to communicate better once my venom has entered his system."_

" _It won't hurt him, will it?_ " Harrison asked worriedly.

" _Never fear, master's mate. I will not hurt what is mine to protect._ "

" _I'll help you then. And please call me Harrison."_ Draco finally came into the room, surprised to see his serpent speaking with his boyfriend.

"What's going on here?" he asked a little warily.

"Colubra needs to bite you so that you may finish the familiar bond with her. It will also give you the ability to communicate with her telepathically."

"Really?" the blond chirped enthusiastically. "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

Colubra is Latin for serpent.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** Stormshadow13 made two suggestions for wizards defending themselves when in the muggle world. One was a stun gun. Unfortunately, in Great Britain, tasers and stun guns are considered firearms, and are illegal without a license, which is damned hard to obtain. The second, while not necessarily illegal, will land you in jail unless extenuating circumstances exist. I decided to use the second one. Thanks, girl.

* * *

 **Thirty-fifth**

"Again!" Tom barked at his son. Harrison scowled and glared tiredly at his father, before facing the practice dummy. He threw two curled-knuckle punches at the neck then flung out his foot in a side kick to the dummy's ribs. This time, the lights were green, indicating punishing blows. "Very good, Harrison," Tom praised with a smile. "I'm sorry I've been so hard on you, but we all need to master these skills before we venture into the muggle world without our wands. Once we have this training completed, we'll be able to set up some shops, and train others."

"I know, Father," the teen replied, panting slightly. He'd been practicing his taekwondo non-stop, and was knackered. They were in the Room of Requirement, which had been set up as a large gym-like training area. In one corner were speed bags, heavy bags, and tower bags. Medicine balls stood in the middle of the floor, and there were mats placed in many spots around the floor, as well. Luther Goyle was working with Draco, Theo, and the twins over in the corner, teaching them some boxing moves and having them work with the speed bags and the heavy bags. Chester was back at the Ministry, working out the final rules and regulations for the wizarding Olympics. They hoped to get the first games started in 1995.

Neville, Luna, Seamus and Dean were working on some karate moves with Cho Chang. Cedric Diggory was training them; he'd earned his first degree black belt the year prior, and was thrilled to be able to pass on some of his knowledge to his friends. He'd learned about karate from a halfblood friend whose muggleborn mum would take him to his lessons; the friend had visited when Cedric was six, and he had talked his dad into letting him take the sport. It took him eight years, from the time he was seven, to earn the coveted honor. Cho had a yellow belt; she wasn't as into the sport as her family was, so she had dabbled for a bit. Right now, with Cedric as the instructor, and the potential for having her wand confiscated before she ventured out into the muggle world, she was beginning to take the idea of self defense a little more seriously.

Scattered around the rest of the large room were students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, all training in one form or another. Colin was going from group to group, taking pictures so that Seamus could use them to do a write-up on the differing sports and their self defense applications for the _Quibbler_. "All right," Severus barked into the din. "It's about time to wrap this up. Curfew is in just over an hour. Gather your things and head back to your common rooms. I will have the house elves send up some snacks to tide you over until morning. Return here again next Saturday, and we will continue." Groups of two, three and four gathered together, mixing the Houses together as they walked out the door, comparing notes and showing off their developing muscles. Tom, Harrison, and Severus were the last to leave.

"Merlin," the raven huffed, "I'm absolutely wiped. I feel really good, though. I think I could get behind doing this more regularly, once I get out of Hogwarts."

"I'll have a training room put into the Keep," Tom told his son, running a hand affectionately through the boy's hair. "I'll also see if I can get you more competent instructors."

"Where did you learn all this, Father?" Harrison asked curiously.

"As you know, after I graduated from school, I traveled the world for a while, trying to gain as much arcane knowledge as I could. It was while I was in Asia that I noticed the different forms of exercise the locals were doing. I got into contact with some instructors in the various martial arts, and they took the time to train me. I went every single day, to several different disciplines, so that I could learn them all more quickly. It was probably the most exhausting year I'd ever spent. I must admit, I cheated a little. I had a time turner, so I used that to relive each day at least twice, so that I could cram as much practice in as possible. It was well worth it, though. The self discipline I'd learned from those lessons has worked to my benefit."

"You're an awesome teacher," his son chirped brightly, weariness forgotten as he learned more about his father. "Everyone keeps coming up to me and singing your praises for Defense. You're probably the best teacher we've ever had."

"Thank you, Harrison," the man replied with a light blush. "I enjoy teaching; it's something I had always wanted to do, and now that I'm _better_ , it means even more to me to be able to mold young minds, and show them that magic isn't evil; it's the people that use it in the wrong way that are bad."

* * *

"Hey, Dad?" Harrison said quietly as he came into the potions classroom. Severus was behind the desk, marking essays for the fourth years and grumbling under his breath. As his son came into the room, he pushed the papers aside, a wide smile on his face.

"Harrison. I'm happy to see you. What brings you by?"

"Well, I was just wondering," the teen replied. "Are you and Father going to have any children of your own?"

"I do have a child of my own," the older man said with a small frown, rising from his desk and walking to the teen, wrapping his arms around the boy and hugging him tightly. "I couldn't ask for a better son than you."

"Thanks, Dad," the raven said, burrowing into his dad and hugging him just as tightly. "I love you too. Seriously, though, you and Father need to have true heirs of your own. Wouldn't you like to have your own son or daughter?"

"A little girl would be nice," the Potions Master murmured as he buried his nose in his son's hair. "I've actually talked to Tom about this as well, and he seems to be accepting of the idea. I think he would like a little girl, as well."

"Honestly, I'd love some younger siblings. I've always wanted to be a big brother to someone."

"You would make a fine older brother," Severus told the teen, pulling away. "What brought this on, anyway?"

"Well, your mum was brilliant at potions, and you got most of your knowledge from her. It would be a shame to let that family legacy die. Besides, we could use more brilliant Potions Masters and Mistresses, and who better to create them than you and Father? Besides, I'd like to see the Riddle line carried on, as well. I know I'm his son by blood, and by love, but it's not quite the same. When I have children, they will be more Potter than Riddle. He needs children with his own DNA to repopulate the wizarding world with strong, intelligent, fierce protectors and guides."

"Once again, I am realizing just how lonely you were growing up," the dark man said sadly, his hand running gently through Harrison's hair. The teen leaned into the caresses, humming happily, his eyes closed in bliss. Severus chuckled fondly at the boy's behavior before continuing. "I remember you telling me, once or twice, that you'd always wanted a big family. You have your godfathers, and Draco, and your uncle Lucius, and mum Cissa, but you want more, don't you?"

"I do," the raven sighed, leaning into his dad. "I want to be surrounded by lots and lots of family. Lots of kids and lots of aunts and uncles."

"Well," came a voice from the doorway, startling both occupants, "I'm sure that, once those foolish purebloods are taken care of, my associates would love to be your aunts and uncles."

"Hi, Father," Harrison mumbled, blushing in embarrassment for having been caught talking about him.

"No need to be embarrassed, son," Tom said as he entered the room and closed and warded the door. "I've had this discussion with Severus, and as soon as we take care of a few things, we will start on making our family grow."

"Really?" the teen asked excitedly.

"Yes, really," his father replied. "Narcissa has volunteered to be the surrogate for our first child, and I am sure that several of the other wives would be willing to carry our children for us."

"Why not go to St. Mungo's and find some professional surrogates?" Severus asked curiously. "Not that I mind having Cissa carry our firstborn, but I don't want to make Lucius uncomfortable about this."

"I've already talked it over with the both of them, and they would be honored to be involved in helping our family grow. Lucius wants to consider this a way to repay the presumed debt he owes the both of us."

"Both of us?"

"Yes. He believes he owes you for saving his son's life with the antidote to that poison, and he believes he owes me for the Minister post, as well as giving he and his family a better life."

"Surely he understands that both of those were done without expectation of payment or redress in any way," Severus barked incredulously. "We are friends. Hell, more than that, we are _family_. It's what family _does_."

"I know this, and _you_ know this. You need to remember, however, just what kind of bastard Abraxas was. He'd beaten a standard of behavior into Lucius from the time he was small. It is very hard for him to let go of all the behavioral training he'd been subjected to growing up."

"I…I didn't know uncle Lucius was abused," Harrison said sadly. "Now I understand better why he was so angry at the way the Dursleys treated me. I guess I can see why he's more relaxed with Draco than some of the other pureblood parents I've seen. He's so strong, coming through something like that and still willing to bend over backward for others."

"You are just as strong, Harrison," came a voice from the fireplace, again startling the occupants of the room.

"Hello, uncle Lucius," the teen mumbled, blushing again. "Why does everybody keep sneaking up on me?"

"Actually, I was supposed to be here for a meeting with your father and dad," the blond said as he stepped from the floo. "I did not expect to see you here, but it's no surprise, either." He opened his arms wide to the teen, who darted into them and hugged his uncle tightly.

"Love you, uncle Lucius," Harrison murmured into the man's chest.

"I love you, too," the elder Malfoy replied, hand going to the boy's hair. "I thank you for your kind words, and am very proud to be considered part of your family."

* * *

"So when are we going to snatch the little Malfoy bastard?" Joseph Urquart asked Buster. "We've been waiting around for _ages_ , with nothing to show for it. I'm tired of waiting. I want to get the Dark Lord back in our corner _now_."

"We can't move on him whilst he is still in school," Simon MacMillan explained tiredly. He'd had this same conversation with several others, and he was getting tired of repeating himself. "Hogwarts is too well protected and warded, and the Malfoy brat never ventures out of the castle without several teachers and witnesses. We'll have to wait until the school lets out for the summer holidays."

"He'll be behind the ancient Manor wards by then," Joseph barked incredulously. "If you think getting to him in _Hogwarts_ is difficult, wait until you try to get past Malfoy's protections."

"We won't have to get past the Manor's protections," Carnierus Smith said with a vindictive smirk. "We'll just wait until the family goes to Diagon Alley for their school things, and take him then."

"Who's going to do it?" Justin Burke asked nervously. "Any one of us would likely spook the kid."

"That's why we'll have Rodolphus and Rabastan collect him," Buster finally said. "They've been part of the Dark Lord's Inner Circle since the end of the first war. In fact, Bellatrix is little Malfoy's aunt through his mother, and he's, no doubt, seen both men within his home on several occasions. It would be nothing for them to 'convince' the child to accompany them, and then we'll have him."

* * *

"Sirius, we need to talk," Tom said as he sailed into Severus' private rooms. Gathered there were Severus, Lucius, Remus, Sirius, Draco, Harrison, Neville and Luna. Nev never went _anywhere_ without his girlfriend anymore.

"What about, Tom?" the animagus asked curiously.

"I'd like to talk to you about how you knew that Harrison was in danger. I know that the Blacks don't have any Seers on their family tree, so your knowing about the problem has me curious."

"Ah," Black sighed understandingly. "Several generations ago, the Blacks decided to play around with a little blood magic. They found a ritual that would grant them a boon from the Old Magicke, but it required a substantial blood sacrifice. One of the squibs was willing to sacrifice her life to the ritual, so that our ancestors could gain more protection. The offer was accepted, and the Old Magicke gave my ancestors the ability to sense when one of the blood was in danger, and to be able to save the family member, if it was possible.

"My grandparents were very paranoid, and had placed a great many wards around Grimmauld Place. They also forbade anyone to venture outside for any reason. Most of their children were home-schooled, including my mum. The Dark taint to the house finally drove them mad, which sped up their deaths. That's one of the reasons I was so desperate to escape the house. I didn't want to go the same way my parents went. James was there, and was willing to give me a safer place to live, before the magic could sink its hooks into me. The past few generations never needed the gift, and we thought it had died off. Until I got that gut feeling about Harrison, I thought the gift had disappeared as well."

"But Padfoot, I'm not a Black by blood," Harrison interjected softly.

"You are, pup," Sirius corrected gently. "Charlus Potter married Dorea Black. She gave birth to Fleamont Charlus Potter, who then married Euphemia Matthews. They had James, who married your mum and had you. So you see, you _are_ of Black blood, which makes you family, and under the protection of the blood gift I have."

"You would also sense if anything happened to Draco, wouldn't you?" Lucius asked.

"I would. He is more of a Black than Harrison; however, my love for my godson gave the gift a little extra power, apparently. As well, I have a great deal of stupidity to make up for, and I can't think of a better way to do it than to make sure Harrison and Draco are safe."

"I wonder why Cissa never had those feelings?" the elder Malfoy pondered aloud.

"The gift was given to the males of the Black line," Sirius replied, "since it was the males to ask for the gift in order to protect the family. It's always been about family honor and pride, and no Black worth his salt would ever expect the woman to do the protecting."

* * *

 _February 14, 1994_

 _The Quibbler_

 _ **EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RITA SKEETER**_

 _ **Why did she do it?**_

 _Betty Braithwaite, reporter_

 _Good day, gentle people. Today I was given a task by my illustrious publisher to question Rita Skeeter on her reasoning for writing such a slanderous article about the Longbottoms, and perhaps, get her perspective on why the Daily Prophet would print it._

 _BB: Hello, Rita, dear. Good to see you again._

 _RS: Hello Betty. Is the Quibbler treating you well?_

 _BB: I can't complain. Now, my first question is this: Why did you write all those slanderous remarks about the Longbottoms? You even went so far as to make up some outrageous lies, printing them as 'straight from the Longbottoms' lips'. You had to know that you would have been called on the lies. There were dozens of witnesses to the conversation._

 _RS: I…I don't know how to answer that. My livelihood was that Quick-Quotes Quill, and all the salacious things it wrote for me. I made more money from the lies than I ever would have with the truth. I…I guess I just didn't consider that anyone would take umbrage for what I wrote. After all, no one ever said anything when I printed that trash about Harry Potter, so why would they say anything about the Longbottoms?_

 _BB: Excellent questions, to which we probably will never have answers. Did you ever feel any remorse for ruining reputations? You were especially vicious to an eleven year old boy. Did you never feel guilt for the pain you'd put him through?_

 _RS: Truthfully, no. He wasn't even a person to me. He was just a means to an end. A way to keep my name in the public eye, and keep my vault filled. As long as I brought in the story, the juicier the better, the Prophet printed it, without checking a single fact, or having a single statement verified. They knew that, as long as they kept the stories coming, they would make money hand over fist, as well._

 _BB: About that, why do you think the Prophet printed your story, even though other papers had printed the truth?_

 _RS: The owners of the Prophet are just as greedy as I was. They saw money in the bank with that story, and ran with it. You have to remember, before the Prophet changed hands fifty years ago, it was a middling paper with dismal sales. Once the new owners took over, they turned it around, and it became the premier news source for wizarding Great Britain. It ceased to be a respectable newspaper, and instead became a gossip rag. As long as you had enough money to keep your name out of the paper, you were safe. If you couldn't pay for the 'protection' the Prophet offered, you were fair game. It was simple economics._

 _BB: Yes, well, we all see how well those 'simple economics' have done for the paper. Thank you for your honesty, and I hope that things turn around for you._

 _RS: Not very likely. I've pretty much killed my own career, and have no one but myself to blame. I just hope that, some day, those I have grievously wronged will find a way to forgive me my greed and selfishness._


	36. Chapter 36

**Thirty-sixth**

"Hello, Mother," Frank said as he came upon Augusta in the hallway of Longbottom Manor. The boys were in their last weeks of school, and Frank and Alice were busy trying to touch base with their friends and finding things to do with their time. The senior Longbottom didn't want to return to being an Auror; though he was a damn fine one, toward the end of the first war, he had grown tired of the constant danger and not being able to spend as much time with his family as he liked. So, to that end, he had been exploring other options. Severus had approached his wife and he, discussing the Longbottom-Snape Potions Development and Research Labs.

He'd informed the pair of Neville's treatment at the hands of Dame Longbottom and great uncle Algie, as well as the tutoring sessions in his class, apologizing to the parents for his lack of professionalism toward their son. They were suitably impressed with the business plans, so the Potions Master, knowing of Alice's brilliance in the craft, offered her a position as assistant researcher. Her job was to do the legwork, meaning she would be the one to travel worldwide, visiting the magical libraries and exploring muggle second-hand shops, looking for lost and obscure potions on which Severus could experiment. Additionally, she was to transcribe his and Neville's notes into proper experimental theses. The woman happily accepted, excited to be able to assist her brilliant son in his and Snape's long-overdue business venture.

"Of course, Frank," the older woman replied with a small smile. She was still adjusting to having her children back, but knew that particular tone in his voice, and knew this conversation would be serious. She followed him into a smaller office that he'd taken over. He left his den in his son's capable hands, proud to sit in there and listen to his ideas and the different ways he'd created new varieties of plants from the cuttings from the Amazon. She sat in the chair before his desk, a little worried at the dark look on her son's face.

"I've been informed of your treatment of Neville, as well as Algernon's abysmal behavior toward my son," Frank growled angrily, making his mother flush with shame. "I understand that I was a bit of a handful, and that I was also late to display accidental magic. However, that gave you no license to treat my son like he was an extension of _me_. To not allow him his own wand was beyond stupid. You know very well that if the wizard isn't picked by the wand, his magic will not manifest as strongly. How could you think that he would be successful with _my_ wand?"

"I…I am sorry, Frank," she replied in a whisper. Her voice grew stronger as she spoke. "I was in so much pain when you and Alice were taken from me, and I wasn't thinking right. I became a bitter, selfish, arrogant old woman, and I was so desperate to keep at least a _part_ of you around that I failed to see Neville as an individual on his own. I was willfully blind to the damage I was doing to him, and I ignored Algernon's abuse. I am grateful to Harrison and Tom Riddle. If it wasn't for them, Neville could very well have faded into the background, becoming the failure that I'd feared he would be."

"I know that our… _removal_ from your life was difficult, but we had entrusted you with the most precious thing in our lives; our son. We'd expected you to raise him to be the fine young man that he now is, which wasn't your doing, by the way. We didn't expect you to be _perfect_ , but we _did_ expect you to be loving and fair. As for uncle Algie, he had better thank Merlin that he's no longer here. After the torture that he'd subjected my son to, he's lucky he's still _alive_."

"Neville has become such a strong, sure young man," Augusta said with pride. "The way he handled Algernon and I at the Malfoys' Yule celebration in his second year was _masterful_. Friendships with Harrison Riddle and Draco Malfoy have been nothing but _good_ for my grandson, and the added benefit is that Harrison's father had returned the both of you to us. For that alone, I will be forever grateful to the man."

"Nev is the perfect Longbottom heir," Frank concurred with his own abundant pride. "He's set to change our world, along with all of his friends, and it's about damn time. However, that doesn't mitigate your abuse of my son. I know that he put you on notice; I will as well. Step one toe out of line toward him, and I will strip you from the Longbottom family tapestry."

* * *

"Garrick, old friend," Tom said as he breezed into Ollivander's wand shop. The old man looked up from the paper he was reading, a gummy smile in place and his rheumy eyes lighting with pleasure.

"Lord Riddle," the wandmaker said with a bow of his head.

"None of that," Tom said with a smile. "You may call me Tom. After all, I spent a lot of time haunting this place as a child. Now, I've brought a couple of friends with me, and they need wands." Garrick looked down at Sandie and Dobby, smiling widely. Draco's elf was proudly displaying the Yule gifts he'd received from his master and his master's friends. On his right index finger was the Potter ring, gifted to him by Harrison. Neville had given him two more pairs of shoes, and he was wearing the trainers this day. Tom had given the elf a House of Slytherin pin, which gleamed mellowly in the low light of the shop, and on the elf's right middle finger rested the Malfoy ring.

"You are purchasing wands for your elves?" Ollivander queried for clarification. Lucius' first duties as he entered the Minister's office was to repeal all laws forbidding magical beings having wands of their own. Though the goblins had no need for the tools, they were grateful for the option. The house elves all over wizarding Great Britain had descended on the wand shops in droves, anxious to learn how to utilize wizarding magic, to augment their own magical skills. New laws were also emplaced, forbidding the owners of house elves to punish or otherwise abuse their employees. Though the elves weren't freed, they _were_ provided better living conditions, as well as the option to wear uniforms denoting to whom they belonged. Slowly, the ratty tea towels and rags and scraps were disappearing, giving the households a more classic, refined appearance. With the kinder, gentler treatment, the elves were flourishing, becoming even more devoted to their families.

"Yes," Riddle answered, laying a hand on each elf's shoulder. "They are an important part of our families, and we want them to learn how to wield our magic. It will only enhance their skills and capabilities."

"I honestly never thought I'd see the day when house elves, or any magical beings for that matter, would ever be treated with the respect and consideration that they so richly deserve for being willing to take care of us the way they do. I must say that I am overjoyed at the changes to our world, and am looking forward to installing one of those computers in my shop. Will make keeping track of inventory a bit easier."

"We should be able to start bringing in some of the technologies by the first of next year. The Unspeakables have been working around the clock, trying to create spells and wards to protect the electronics from the ambient magic, whilst still powering them with our magic. It's slow going, but there is some progress."

"Sandie, if you would come with me," Garrick said softly, gesturing to the little elf. She grinned and hopped after the wizened man, a little excited giggle escaping her. It was several moments before she returned, holding a seven inch wand made of alder wood, with a white river monster spine core. Dobby was next, and his wand took a bit longer, returning with a six and a half inch cedar wand with a phoenix feather core.

"Thank you, Garrick," Tom said as he grinned down at the elves, who were jumping in place excitedly.

"You are most welcome, Tom," the old man said. "That will be twenty galleons."

* * *

"We will have a new muggle studies professor next year," Tom told his family as they gathered in the Keep. The end of the year was just around the corner, and the children were frantically revising for their exams. "Her name is Divinia Entenmann, and she is a muggleborn who has lived in the muggle world for quite some time. She'd expressed a desire to come back to the wizarding world, but there weren't many opportunities for her, so she received a teaching degree at a muggle university. Limus Parkinson put me in touch with her."

"That's great, Father," Harrison murmured distractedly.

"She said she'd bring some muggle submachine guns and uzis to the first class for show and tell," the Dark Lord murmured, grinning. It took a few moments before the raven's head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. At the teen's look, Tom laughed loudly, making his son scowl.

"Not funny, Father," the raven growled with a pout. "That's definitely not something we should start the class with."

"I just wanted to make sure you were listening," Tom replied with a smile.

"Sorry," Harrison mumbled sheepishly. "With the tutoring and all the extra lessons, I don't want to fall behind."

"You won't, son," Severus told the teen. "You're far too intelligent to allow a little thing like work overload to bring you down."

"Very funny, Dad," the emerald eyed teen snarked sarcastically. "Now, if you guys would just push off, we'd like to get back to studying."

* * *

"Hey, Harrison," Sirius said as he came upon the teen in Hogwarts. The animagus was taking Lupin's place as History of Magic teacher, since the full moon was just last night.

"Hi, Padfoot," the teen replied with a wide smile. "What's up?"

"I need you to come back to the history classroom for a bit, if that's okay."

"Sure," the raven answered, looking concerned. "Is there a problem?"

"No, actually," the animagus returned as they walked to the classroom. "I just have some things that I think you might want." They continued the rest of the way in silence, Harrison very curious. Once they were in the classroom with the door locked and warded, Sirius went to the back of the room and through the door that led to Remus' private quarters. There were low, murmured voices for a few moments before the animagus returned with a box. He set it on the professor's desk and opened it, pulling out many books, diaries, and journals. Insanely curious, Harrison walked up to the desk, picking up one of the journals and leafing through it. None of the names were familiar; however, he saw 'Potter' strewn throughout, and his eyes widened in surprise. "These are the journals, diaries, and books written by your Potter ancestors," the animagus explained softly. "James was too… _selfish_ to want to learn of his magical heritage, and I must admit that I encouraged that. I thought family histories were a waste of time and effort, because my own was so dismal. Since being made your second godfather, and taking that role seriously, I wanted to make sure that you had all information about your family and their magics. So, here they are."

"How…how did you _get_ them?" the raven asked breathlessly. He was excited to learn about his origins, and about his ancestors.

"I…I approached Fleamont and Euphemia when we discovered that you guys had to go into hiding. I told them that I was your godfather, and that I wanted to do right by you. I asked them for all the information they had on your family histories, as well as any family magics. It's all in those diaries and books."

"Thank you, Sirius," Harrison said, eyes shining happily. "I've always wanted to learn about James' past and his history, since it will help me to understand him better. This is _awesome_!"

* * *

"Again, Sandie," Tom told the little elf gently. He was in the Room of Requirement, trying to teach Sandie and Dobby how to use their wands to focus their magic better. The little elf was frustrated; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull back on her natural magic enough to make the wizarding spells work the way they were meant to. She either overpowered or underpowered them, making the spells respond in unprecedented ways. Dobby had fared no better, but he was still smiling happily, glad for the private lessons with, to his mind, the greatest wizard alive. If Tom was aware of the adoration of Draco's elf, he gave no indication. Harrison's champion flicked her wand again, reining in her elven magic at just the right time as she murmured, " _Wingardium leviosa_ " in her squeaky voice. Slowly, the book she was trying to levitate lifted from the floor, hovering steadily in the air.

"You is being doing it!" Dobby chirped excitedly as he jumped up and down. Sandie looked over at the other elf happily, taking her attention from the spell. The book dropped to the floor with a flat _thwap_ , making the elves jump at the noise, before Sandie scowled.

"That was very good, Sandie," Tom told her, patting her on the head gently. "Remember how you felt as you cast that spell, and try to replicate it. You two may go back home for now; we'll pick up again on Saturday." With a nod, both elves popped away, leaving Riddle standing in the middle of the Room of Requirement. He ran a hand down over his face, sighing in relief that the little beings were capable enough to pick up on the lessons. "I think it would be better if Harrison and Draco worked with their elves from this point on," he murmured as he left the room. "I'm sure that they'll have a better method of training. Besides, the bonds they share with their elves will help them guide and teach them better."

* * *

"Sandie," Harrison called out. It was the last week of school; exams were finally finished, and the boys were happy with the results. Everyone had maintained high scores across the board, and were looking forward to the break. The little elf popped into the boys' dorm room with a smile.

"Yes, Master Harrison?" she squeaked.

"I was just wondering. Do house elves have their own language?" Draco's head came up from the magazine he was leafing through, silver eyes alight with curiosity.

"House elves is being descended from high elves," she replied, indicating that her master have a seat. Harrison pulled out his desk chair for Sandie to sit on, while he perched beside Draco on the blond's bed. She climbed onto the chair and was quiet for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "When the high elves decided to being leaving the wizarding world, we all was being expecting to go. They is not being liking being slaves to the human wizards, and that was why they was being wanting to leave. A lot of us is being liking the wizards, and is wanting to being staying. In punishment for defying the royal family of the high elves, we is being made to being smaller and somewhat weaker than our ancestors. They is being leaving for another realm, hidden from the human wizards.

"We was being having our own language; the language of the high elves, but we is being in the wizarding world for so long that we is being forgetting most of it. We is still being having some words from our language, but we is being not able to use them, because they is not being applying to anything that we is being doing or how we is being living."

"Would it be all right if you and Dobby come to the History of Magic class some time next year, and tell us about the high elves, and where you come from?" Draco asked. "I think that, if you explain things to the students, maybe they'll understand a little better the sacrifices you have made to stay with us, and be part of our families and our world."

"I is being happy to, Master Draco," Sandie answered with a grin. "Dobby is being happy to, too. We is liking that you is being treating us as members of the family. We is being loving you very much."

"We love you, too, Sandie," Harrison told the little elf with a grin. "You've become very special and important to me. I'm not sure what my life would've been like, had Father not gifted you to me. You make our family complete." The little elf blushed, dropping her eyes to her hands shyly. "Do you have any experience with tending to babies and small children?"

"I is being having some experience taking care of little ones," she replied carefully.

"Good," Harrison said. "When Father and Dad start having their children, they'll need some nanny elves to help them take care of their offspring. You could train some of the other elves to do the job. When Draco and I have our own family, we'll want you to take care of our children."


	37. Chapter 37

**Thirty-seventh**

"Ahhhhhhh," Harrison sighed gustily as he flopped down on his bed. "It's good to be home." Draco could only nod, eyes blinking sleepily. They had endured a long, tense trip home. Lavender Brown, as well as Roger Davies, Ernie MacMillan, Zacharias Smith and Morag MacDougal kept eyeing the raven speculatively whenever he and Draco were in the train corridors, which raised the hackles of the blond. Neither teen was sure exactly _why_ those students were watching Harrison, but they were pretty convinced it had something to do with their fathers' involvement in the 'pureblood revolution'. "Why don't you go take a shower," the raven suggested with a fond smile. "I'll have Sandie prepare a snack for us, then we'll go to bed. Tomorrow will definitely be better."

Nodding, Draco stumbled off to the bathroom, re-emerging a half an hour later, hair still wet. Snorting softly, Harrison summoned a small towel and gently dried the blonde locks. Draco stood there, enjoying the loving care that his boyfriend was showing him. When the brunet finished, the blond reached up and brushed a soft kiss to Harrison's lips, making them tingle. With a mumbled 'good night', Draco staggered to the bed and dropped into it, curling around Harrison's pillow and drifting to sleep instantly. "Sandie," the raven called softly, trying not to wake Draco. The little elf popped in, smiling at her charge fondly. "Could you please take away the snacks? I guess Draco was too tired to want to eat."

"I is being happy to," she nodded happily, pulling her wand to banish the dishes to the kitchen.

"Well done, sweetie," Harrison enthused softly, kneeling to hug his elf. "Our lessons together are working quite well."

"Thank you, Master Harrison," she squeaked, blushing. "You is being a wonderful and patient teacher." Emotions on overload, the elf quickly popped away before the raven could respond. Chuckling, he stood up and grabbed his pajamas and his toiletries.

Harrison took his own turn in the bathroom, then climbed into the bed behind Draco, wrapping his arms around the blond and snuggling into his back. Malfoy murmured in his sleep, wriggling back and sighing blissfully as he sank deeper into his dreams. Clenching his teeth to get his hormones under control, it took a few moments before Harrison could close his eyes, the scent of his love wafting around him and soothing him to sleep.

* * *

"I have some surprises for you and your friends, Harrison," Lucius said as he stepped into the library at the Keep. The brunet looked at his uncle curiously. "I happen to have several empty warehouses and storefronts scattered around wizarding Great Britain and France. If you like, your father and dad, godfathers, friends, Draco and I can go and look at the properties. Perhaps you'll find what you're looking for in one of them."

"Thank you, uncle Lucius," the raven replied, pleased. "That's very generous of you."

"As you have pointed out many times, we are all family, and family takes care of each other. Besides, the properties are just going to waste, sitting empty like they are. I figure that if we can convert a few of them into the businesses we spoke of, then I may be able to turn a profit from them."

"I would have no problem paying you rent for the spaces we occupy," Harrison said promptly. "After all, it would only be fair."

"Nonsense," the blond scoffed gently. "The properties you choose will become yours. I only require first option to invest in them. In fact, I would like to be majority stockholder in them, if possible."

"I'll go you one better, uncle Lucius. For your incredibly generous offer, we all will be willing to make you partner in all of our ventures. After all, with the Malfoy name behind our efforts, they're sure to be a success, especially now that you're Minister."

"Deal," Lucius agreed promptly, smiling widely at his son's future mate.

* * *

"That empty warehouse in Knockturn Alley would make a perfect movie theater," Harrison enthused happily. "We just need to take a tour of some really nice muggle movie theaters, and find the décor and setup that we'd like for ours."

"I like the storefront across from the warehouse," George said, looking at his brother with a raised eyebrow. Fred nodded his agreement, a wide smile on his face. "It's got a great deal of space in front, with a large storage area behind the counter. As well, it has an expansive living space above it. We think it would be perfect for a joke shop one of these days."

"Actually, gentlemen, that is what I wish to speak with you about," Tom interjected softly. "From the information I've been gathering from the students and staff at the school, your jokes and pranks have been greatly toned down. They're no longer cruel or vicious, and are very highly regarded by most of the students. So, this is my proposal. Lucius is willing to give you that storefront, and I am willing to be one of your backers. You continue to develop those pranks and jokes, with an eye toward fun, and when you graduate, you'll already be set to take the wizarding world by storm."

"Are you _serious_?" Fred asked incredulously. At the nods from both Tom and Lucius, the twins whooped loudly and hugged each other, dancing around the room like madmen and eliciting delighted laughter and giggling.

"As long as I can be a silent partner, I see no problem with it," Lucius said loudly, stopping the twins mid-twirl. They stood up straight and approached the blond, blue eyes serious.

"You have a deal, sir," George said, sticking out his hand. Lucius shook it, then shook Fred's when he offered it.

"That medical facility in Haguenau, France looked quite promising," Severus murmured softly. "It already has a great deal of equipment within it; all it needs is a good cleaning and to convert a couple of the smaller labs into potions labs. There is also plenty of office space for you, Neville, and your mother. She is quite excited about assisting us in our research."

"Thank you, Severus, for offering her the position. She's been spending as much time with me as she can, so that she can be brought up to date on all that we've discussed, and all that I've already done."

"It's yours, Severus," Lucius said quietly, smiling at his best friend. "I can see no greater endeavor in which to dedicate that empty facility than yours and Neville's research facility."

"Thank you, old friend," the Potions Master said with a small catch in his voice.

"That large building dead center of Knockturn Alley would be perfect to be a publishing house," Seamus said into the thoughtful silence. "It has several different floors, and we can convert some of the other levels into dance studios, acting studios, and musical studios. We could house a great many types of talent in that one building alone, and I'm sure that there are a fair few denizens of the Alley that have the talent we're seeking, and would be thrilled to be offered an opportunity to shine."

"Great idea, Seamus," Sirius chirped with a wide grin. "We could even put a bulletin board outside the building, advertising the types of talent we'd need."

"Hey, Luna?" Dean said to the blonde. She looked at him with her slightly glazed grey eyes, a small smile on her face. "Would your father be willing to relocate _The Quibbler_ to an actual printing press? I'm sure he'd like to be able to stretch out and expand his enterprise."

"I've actually written Father about that, and I sent him a photograph of the building I think would be perfect. It's that large building near Gringotts."

"It would be my pleasure to gift your father with that building," Lucius told the girl, basking in the wide smile she gave him. "With all of these wonderful business opportunities opening up in the near future, I will be making money hand over fist just being a partner to all of you."

"Honestly, sir, we'd consider it an honor to have your business acumen backing all of us," George told the blond solemnly. "You've made all of the businesses you now hold extremely profitable. We couldn't go wrong with you in our corner."

* * *

The boys were upstairs with the rest of the gang, planning the layouts for their businesses, as well as the advertising to draw in the talent. Severus, Lucius, Sirius, Remus and Tom were, once again, in the Dark Lord's den, discussing the revenge that they were about to enact against the Dursleys. "The potion works as it should, Sev?" Riddle asked his husband.

"It does," the dour man replied softly. "We will dose their food with it, and it will make them repulsive to all, except for the whale's sister. It was fortunate that we were able to pick up some of their hairs and skin cells when we scoped out the place. It was a bit difficult finding a moment when the house was completely empty; we were able to succeed, however, and everything is ready to go."

"I found an obscure spell in one of my family's old books," Sirius told them with a malicious grin. "It's Dark, but not really harmful in the strictest sense. I'll cast it on their house and surrounding yard; it'll make it look like the place is a run-down derelict to outsiders, but won't look any different to the residents."

"So, we've got something that will make them repellent to any who meet them, and something that will make their home look like a shack," Lucius summed up. At the nods of agreement, he said, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

"Didn't Harrison want to be involved with this?" Remus asked softly as Sirius finished casting the spell on the house. Tom had disillusioned himself, since his invisibility spell was the strongest, and had crept into the house, dosing all of the Dursleys' food with the potion and setting up recording charms so that they could watch the fallout.

"He did," Tom agreed softly, watching the sickly yellow glow around the property fade as the spell settled. "I think, though, that he'll be willing to allow our punishments to work until the time comes when he decides he wants to deal them the killing blow. He'd expressed the desire to torture them at some point, but I was able to talk him into letting us do this. I am hoping that, when it gets closer to their demise, he'll have had a change of heart, and will allow things to take their natural course. I do not wish for him to inflict pain on another, even if they deserve it. I don't want to see his innocence tarnished in any way."

"Thank you, Tom," Sirius murmured, once again grateful that this man had chosen to liberate his godson and give him a good life. "I agree; if he were to go down that road, it would change him in fundamental ways; ways from which he could never come back."

* * *

"Rodolphus. Rabastan. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Tom said in surprise as he saw the two men at his door. He stepped back and bade them enter. They followed him to the lounge, where Sandie had set up refreshments. "Please, sit and help yourselves."

"Thank you, Tom," Rodolphus said softly. "Buster Brown has given us the task of 'kidnapping' Draco during your visit to Diagon Alley to get their school things. He believes, rightly so, that Draco would have no problem coming with us, since he's seen us around his Manor frequently, when Bella would go visit her sister."

"So that's their next move?"

"It is," Rabastan concurred. "We cannot stay long; we just came to warn you so that you could possibly put some plans in place to keep our nephew safe."

"Have no fear, gentlemen. Draco is very important to my son's well-being. Besides, I've grown very fond of him, and I will do all I can to see him protected." Nodding their heads, the Lestranges took their leave, knowing that Tom would call them when he had a solid plan in place. Riddle stalked through the Keep, finding Lucius, Severus, Sirius and Remus in a lounge near one of the libraries. "The Lestrange brothers have informed me that Brown and his cohorts are planning the abduction of Draco during our outing to get the children's school supplies. They will be the ones to 'kidnap' your son, Lucius, so we need to come up with a plan to protect him."

* * *

"Dad? Can we talk?" Harrison said as he entered his parents' suite. Severus, who had been sitting at the writing desk, looked up at his son with a wide smile.

"Of course, son," he told the teen. He put his quill back into the inkstand and stood, beckoning his son to the settee in front of the fireplace. They sat, Harrison leaning into his dad's side happily as Severus wrapped an arm around the boy.

"I was thinking about your research facility," the teen finally said after a comfortable silence. "While I was still living with the Dursleys, I would hear them talk about the different illnesses with which the muggle world was struggling. Things like cancer, and AIDS, and muscular dystrophy. That last one, especially, they would talk about, because a very famous comedian, by the name of Jerry Lewis, would hold a telethon every year on the American continent during something they called Labor day. He started it in the 1960's, when one of the staff members of his comedy show asked for help with the bills and medical treatment for their child, who had this debilitating disease. He did it mostly for the children, to try and raise money for research into a cure.

"There are so many different illnesses and diseases that the muggles deal with on a daily basis, that I think we could come up with cures for, through your research facility. We want to be able to get along with them, on a limited basis, and adapt their technologies to our world. It would be a great way to reach a hand of friendship and cooperation across our borders if we were able to use our talents to help them combat some of these diseases."

Severus was quiet for a time, pondering his son's remarkable idea, before he finally spoke. "I think that's a fine idea, Harrison," he finally said, hugging his son closer to himself. "I know of some muggleborn doctors that have dedicated their skills to the muggle world, who would be able to get me the necessary research materials, as well as the biological samples, so that I may study these illnesses, and see if I can perhaps divine a way to halt or alter their method of infection."

"Thanks, Dad," the raven sighed happily. "I knew that you would understand. Just think; if you were able to come up with cures for some of these deadly and debilitating diseases, you would be known worldwide as the greatest Healer ever born."

* * *

"I just don't _understand_ it," Petunia whined petulantly. "I mean, I've done absolutely _nothing_ to the neighbors for them to turn their noses up at me. They treat me like I'm _meaningless_ , for heaven's sake. It's _appalling_."

"I know, Pet," Vernon grumbled roughly, looking shabbier than he'd ever done. "I have no idea why I lost my job, either. I've been their top salesman for many years. To suddenly be sacked, just like _that_ …" The conversation was interrupted when Dudley came tromping through the door. Petunia gasped loudly at the condition of her precious Dudders. His clothing was torn and filthy, and he had bruises and cuts all over his face and arms.

"Diddikins! What on earth _happened_?" she shrieked, making Vernon wince at the decibel level of her voice.

"I don't know, Mum," he mumbled. "I was hanging out at the park, waiting for my friends. When they got there, they looked at me as if I was a slug under their feet, and started beating up on me. It's a miracle I was able to escape." None of them gave a thought to Harry Potter; they had forgotten that the freak had ever existed. Dudley vaguely remembered a small kid that he used to bully, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember who it was. As well as being persona non grata in the neighborhood, he'd discovered that he was losing weight. More than once he'd had to hold his pants up. His mum was overjoyed at his and his father's weight loss, even though they hadn't changed their eating habits in any way. Dudley was a bit suspicious of it, however. He'd heard that people who had cancer lost enormous amounts of weight, because the disease would take all of their calories to feed its growth. His mum had taken he and his dad to their internist, who reassured them that they weren't diseased. The physician was thrilled at the weight loss; he'd been after the Dursleys for _years_ , trying to get them down to a healthier weight. Whatever they were doing was succeeding remarkably well, and he couldn't be happier. He was a bit concerned about Petunia, though. The woman was thin to begin with; her unexplained weight loss was reaching dangerous levels for her. However, because he couldn't find any root cause for the reduction, he advised her to take in more calories, to prevent any sort of organ failure due to a lack of nutrition.

"Well, we'll just have to weather this storm," she chirped with false bravado. "It should pass, in time. We need to figure out how to get some money, though. The bills are starting to pile up, and we've already burned through most of your savings, Vernon."

"I know, Pet," the man gruffed. "I've contacted Marge and told her what was happening. She's agreed to move in here and help us out until we're able to get back onto our feet."

"That's good," the woman sighed. "I like your sister, Vernon. Such a sensible, kindly woman."


	38. Chapter 38

**Thirty-eighth**

Harrison woke up on his fourteenth birthday a little… _uncomfortable_. For the past few weeks, he'd been having some rather racy dreams, involving himself and Draco. Every morning, before the blond stirred, the raven would have to slip from the bed and go have a shower; usually a _cold_ shower. This morning was no different, but he was trapped. It seemed that Draco, in the middle of the night, had curled up around Harrison, draping himself over the other teen and entangling their legs together. Harrison could even feel the faint breath from his boyfriend's nose, tickling against his neck and sending shivers of arousal through him. Trying to be careful and stealthy, he slowly lifted the arm that held him imprisoned and laid it on the bed beside him. As he scooted out from under Draco's head, the blond stirred and rolled over onto his back, huffing out a sigh as he drifted back to sleep. Harrison froze for a moment, making sure that his boyfriend stayed asleep, but couldn't bring himself to leave the bed just yet. He got up on his elbow and leaned over the reclining blond, staring at his face rapturously.

Emerald eyes skimmed over porcelain skin and sharp, angular features. High cheekbones, upon which rested thick blonde lashes, shaped a face of singular beauty. The chin was pointed, and the jawline was square, beginning to show the strength that the blond would someday exhibit. Draco's nose was aquiline, and bisected his face perfectly. A full lower lip, with a slightly thinner upper lip, finished off a face that would make the angels weep. Those verdant eyes skimmed over the rest of the blond's body, noting the bulge in Draco's pajama pants with a bit of a smirk. Feeling daring, Harrison leaned over and pressed his lips to his boyfriend's, opening his mouth slightly to lick along that tempting lower lip. A breathy sigh and the parting of his boyfriend's mouth had the raven stiffening in all the right places as he carefully pushed his tongue into Draco's mouth for his very first taste. Still asleep, Draco nevertheless put up a bit of a battle for dominance, humming happily as his arms rose to wrap around Harrison's broadening shoulders.

Suddenly, silver eyes snapped open as Draco stared up into emeralds hazy with desire. Giving a small _eep_ , startled, Draco pulled back for a moment, face flushed, before he leaned up again and tilted his head, slanting his mouth over his boyfriend's greedily. They continued to tentatively explore each others' mouths, hands restlessly stroking hair and shoulders as their desire built up and up. Finally, Harrison pulled back, panting softly as he stared at his boyfriend. "We…we need to stop, before we go too far," the raven said huskily, fingers stroking along Draco's soft cheek. "I don't want to do anything that we're not really ready for."

"I know," Draco pouted charmingly, tempting the raven nearly beyond his limits. "We can keep snogging, though. Right?"

"Y-yeah," Harrison agreed, staring at his boyfriend hungrily. "Just…just not in bed, okay? I don't think I can keep from giving in to temptation if we do it here."

"Okay," the blond huffed. He scooted out from under Harrison and darted to the bathroom to take a shower, leaving a slightly frustrated raven to try and regain control of himself. After the blond emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed, Harrison quickly took his turn, dealing with his desire in the usual way. Emerging fully dressed, the boys, blushing faintly, wrapped fingers around each others' hands and left, heading to the dining room, where all of their friends had gathered. "Surprise!" was yelled rather loudly, startling Harrison a little. His birthday the previous two years was more of a family affair; the first year was a quiet celebration between father and son, so that they could get to know each other better. Last year's celebration was a wedding, where Harrison had gained the complete family about which he'd always dreamed. So he was suitably shocked to see the twins, Neville and Luna, Seamus and Dean, and Colin there. Even Lucius took time off from his duties as Minister to attend.

"Th-thank you," the raven stammered with wide eyes. "You didn't really need to do this."

"No," Fred replied, stepping up to the teen and hugging him tightly, "but we wanted to. We all are very, very glad to have you in our lives. We love you, Harrison."

* * *

"Time for presents," Tom announced. The children had been enjoying themselves, playing all sorts of games. They even went out on the vast estate to play a pick-up Quidditch game, with Colin as the referee. Harrison had demonstrated astonishing skill on his broom, making the Gryffindors present ask him why he'd never tried out for a team. The raven had replied that he wasn't interested in all the attention he would gain being part of the sport. He'd told his friends that he loved the freedom of just _flying_. Lunch had been served, with an enormous cake made by Sandie and Dobby. Harrison was led to a wingback chair in the same parlor that they'd had their Christmas picnic. His friends surrounded him, each one holding packages of varying sizes and shapes.

The twins were first, and had gifted the raven with products that they'd developed specifically for his protection and safety. There were two sets of each item; the other set was to go to Draco, since the redheads had missed his birthday. They were enthusiastically thanked by both fourteen year olds as the products were divided and stowed away. Luna had presented Harrison with a beautifully rendered painting of himself, Severus and Tom, wrapped around each other. The raven was incredibly touched, tears shimmering in his eyes as he smiled mistily at the Ravenclaw.

Colin was next, and he had given Harrison a photo album. In it were pictures of he and his friends, as well as pictures of he and Draco together. The raven smiled as he leafed through the book, and he thanked the Gryffindor quietly for the thoughtful gift. Neville gave the teen a kneazle kitten. It was snow white, with grey spots and a black snout. It mewled up at the raven, its topaz eyes gleaming happily. "I know that you have Ares," the Longbottom Heir-Lord told his friend, "and I know that nothing will ever be able to replace Hedwig as your confidant, but I thought you might like something a little more _cuddly_ as a pet."

"Thanks, Nev," Harrison said with a wide smile, lifting the animal to check its sex. "I'll name her Snowball. I really didn't need a pet, though. I have Draco, after all."

"OI!" the blond shouted. "I'll have you know that I'm no one's _pet_ , Riddle," he huffed loudly, arms crossed and a pout on his face.

"You're _my_ special pet, aren't you?" the raven asked with a tremor in his voice. He made his emerald eyes as wide as they could go, giving his boyfriend the puppy dog eyes from hell. Draco stared into those limpid green orbs, his huffy stance melting in the face of that look.

"Yeah, sure," the blond agreed mindlessly, his voice breathless. "Anything you want."

"Merlin," Fred murmured to the others, "if he'd given _me_ that look, I would have happily slit my throat for him."

"Me, too," the others muttered, even though most of them were straight.

"That's quite the weapon our son has, don't you think?" Severus asked Tom and Lucius, both men smirking at the reactions of the other children to Harrison's pleading eyes.

"Indeed," Lucius concurred softly. "I've no doubt that he will definitely be a force with which to be reckoned, once he's reached his magical maturity."

"Just when I think I couldn't possibly be more proud of him, he proves me wrong," Tom sighed happily, making Lucius look at him askance, shaken by the pure devotion in his Lord's voice. Once again, the elder Malfoy thanked the Fates for putting Harrison and Tom in the right place at the right time.

Seamus and Dean weren't sure what to get for their friend, since they didn't really know him like they thought they did, so they got together and created several planning books. They had gone out into the muggle world and photographed different styles of architecture and décor, concentrating on movie theaters, publishing houses and a variety of arts and entertainment venues to get a wide selection of choices, once the group was ready to set aside some time to go over plans. They included a variety of fabric swatches, as well as tile and carpeting samples. They even found some architecture books that had a variety of layouts and floor plans, several of which they'd made copies of, to present to Harrison.

"This is awesome," the raven enthused happily as he leafed through the books. "Thanks, guys! Now we don't have to venture out into the muggle world to do the research. Lucius and Draco were grand when we spent that month at Grimmauld Place, but I don't want to test their limits too much. The 'field trip' was on a very limited scale; the exploring we'd have done for our businesses would have been more extensive, and would have exposed them to more of the muggle world, taking them very far out of their comfort zone. It isn't worth the risk of potentially exposing them to dangers to which they are very unaccustomed."

"Thanks, Harrison," Draco murmured, pushing the books aside and plopping himself down in his boyfriend's lap. "I would have been more than willing to go exploring with you, but I would've been too nervous and afraid to have been of much use." He wrapped his arms around the other teen's neck and snuggled his face into it, making Harrison shiver pleasantly.

"Aww, isn't that _cute_?" Fred gushed loudly. "And look. He's blushing." A slap to the back of his head had him flinching away from his brother, who was scowling darkly at him.

"Did we not just receive forgiveness for our cruelties?" the younger twin asked. At Fred's sheepish nod, George continued. "Why do you want to revert back to that? We're in a good place now; don't fuck it up."

* * *

The planned trip to Diagon Alley for the children's school supplies had been scheduled for Friday, August fifth. The Lestranges understood their part in the plan; they were to approach Draco whilst he was in Flourish and Blotts, to tell him that something had happened to his mother. Suitably panicked, the child would willingly follow the pair out into the Alley, where Rodolphus would pull out a portkey and take Draco to the Burke estate. The runespoor, hidden under Draco's robes, would then encircle his neck, to protect him once he arrived at the planned destination.

The blond would also be carrying some of the products gifted to him by the Weasley twins, in case he needed them for a quick escape. Once again, tracking charms would be placed on the teen, so that Tom and his associates would be able to launch a rescue. Harrison, understandably, was not pleased _at all_ with allowing his boyfriend to be 'abducted'. One wrong move; one misstep and the teen's life would be forfeit. Should that happen, the raven would raze the earth, if necessary, to find and eliminate the culprits. Tom had the devil's own time trying to calm his son.

"I know that you're worried, Harrison," his father murmured into his ear the night before, as he held his son close. "We've planned for every contingency. He will never be completely alone. He has his runespoor, and the tracking charms that I will apply will guarantee that we will find him, post-haste. They worked marvelously for George, after all."

"I know, Father," the raven murmured, burrowing his head in his father's chest. "I just don't want to lose him. I _need_ him."

"You love him very much, don't you?"

"I do," Harrison agreed, voice choked with emotion. "I didn't think I'd ever love someone else as much as I love you and Dad, but I do."

"Here's what we'll do, then," his father said, running his fingers comfortingly through his son's hair. "After we've retrieved Draco, and hopefully captured some of the perpetrators, your dad, Lucius and I will sit down with the pair of you and hash out your betrothal contract."

* * *

"Draco! There you are, little nephew," Rabastan said as he strode into the bookstore. "Rudo and I have been looking for you _everywhere_. There's an emergency at home. Your mother has been injured. Fortunately, one of the Malfoy healers is with her, but she is requesting your presence."

"Is she hurt very badly?" the blond squeaked, a very convincing look of panic on his face.

"I'm not sure," his uncle replied, giving the child a small, proud smirk. "You need to come with us, so that we can make sure that she's all right." Draco darted out of the store ahead of his uncle, barreling straight into the arms of Rodolphus, who hugged him close.

"Fear not, little nephew," the man murmured into the blond's ear. "The tracking charm is in place, and we will provide whatever distraction we can without revealing our true alliances. We will make sure that you are completely safe."

* * *

"What took so bloody long?" Carnierus Smith barked at the Lestranges as soon as they had arrived with the hostage. "We've been waiting here for _hours_."

"It is, as you know, quite busy at the Alley right now," Rabastan growled angrily. He didn't appreciate being spoken to like he was a mindless minion. "We had a difficult time locating him." The obvious displeasure in his voice made the other man back down, paling a little at the menace in the other man's stance.

"Forgive me," Smith murmured with a bowed head. "Of course you would not fail in your mission. You and your brother are valuable allies, and I am pleased that we were able to steal you from the Dark Lord."

"Bring him over here," Josephine Blishwick barked loudly, indicating a rickety wooden chair. "We'll bind him to the chair and wait for Buster to arrive." The Lestranges led Draco to the chair, sitting him in it and lashing him loosely to it. The blond was nervous and afraid, sure that he would do something to mess things up and reveal the Lestranges' duplicity. The others left the teen alone, but Smith just couldn't seem to help himself. He approached the boy and started taunting him; making disparaging comments about his father and his boyfriend. Draco took it all in stride, biding his time until his family could come to his rescue. However, Smith, deciding that he would get his pound of flesh on behalf of his son, Zacharias, moved closer to the blond, wand out.

"Zacharias has told me of your treatment of him," Carnierus growled lowly, putting the wand to Draco's throat. "Since you're here, I believe I will have a bit of _fun_ with you, as payback for treating a noble pureblood the way you did." Leaning a little nearer to whisper the spell he'd planned to use, he opened his mouth to hiss out the curse. Almost too fast to be seen, something lunged from the collar of the child's robes, latching on to Smith's face and making the man scream like a little bitch. He stood straight up and shook his head violently, trying to dislodge whatever it was that had attacked him. The three heads of the runespoor continued to pump venom into the man, his cries turning into garbled moans as he dropped gracelessly to the floor. Before the others returned, Draco called his familiar back to him, and she disappeared under his robes just as Daragh MacDougal stepped into the room.

"What the bloody hell is going _on_ here?" he snapped loudly, startling Draco for a moment. The blond looked at the intruder innocently, but was prevented from saying anything by a loud ruckus going on in front of the manor. MacDougal dashed back out of the room, just as Harrison crept in through a window. The blond sighed happily at the sight of his boyfriend, for once thrilled at feeling like a 'damsel in distress' as the dark look on the raven's face clued Draco in to the fact that, had anything happened to him, Harrison would turn 'Voldemort' on the offenders' asses.

"Are you all right, baby?" Riddle asked softly as he caressed his boyfriend's smooth cheek.

"I am now," Draco replied with a winsome smile. Harrison untied his boyfriend, and the blond took a moment to feed the unconscious man the antivenin he carried for emergencies. Though he was irritated at the continued harassment of his boyfriend, he didn't want to be responsible for someone's death, no matter how much they actually deserved it.

* * *

"Well, we were able to get Smith, Urquart, and Stretton," Tom huffed out tiredly. "Unfortunately, without any real solid proof, they won't be incarcerated for long."

"As long as they're locked away for now, we can rest a little easier," Severus said, scowling. "Now that we know that they're using the Burke estate for their 'hideout', and that they're _aware_ that we know, they'll be scrambling to find a new place. That should give us some time to get some other plans into place."

"Indeed," Lucius murmured. He'd been surprisingly quiet during the meeting; still reeling from the abduction of his son. The elder Malfoy had been privy to the plans surrounding his son, but it was still unnerving to know that his only child's life was endangered. A tap at the den door alerted the three to their visitors.

"Come in, Harrison," his father called out softly, smiling as his son and Draco entered the office.

"Are you boys sure that this is what you want?" Lucius queried, eyebrow raised.

"We are," Draco answered, hand gripped firmly within Harrison's. The raven hadn't let the blond out of his sight since the rescue; afraid that something would come along and take his love away forever. Draco reveled in the attention; happy to let the brunet take the lead.

"Very well," Severus remarked. "It is a standard betrothal contract, with stipulations as to the assets with which you will be entering the bonding. Anything that you have before you bond will remain yours, should the unthinkable happen and you separate. Anything that you accrue during your partnership will be split equally between the both of you if your relationship ends. Typically, the spouses take on the name of the more powerful family, but you both have expressed the wish to hyphenate your name. As well, you both have agreed that the first heir will be a Potter, followed by a Malfoy, and then every child after that will be a Riddle. Surrogates should be no problem; I've had several of the Slytherin girls approach me once the two of you had expressed your feelings for each other, and they would be proud to carry your children for you.

"All you need do is sign the contract. Once your signature is in place, the contract becomes legal and binding. There is to be no infidelity, as stipulated by the both of you. If you do not change your minds, you are required to wed in your seventeenth year, as stipulated by the both of you. You've also stipulated that the assets you both have will be shared between the two of you, until and if you decide to separate." Harrison stepped up to the desk and grabbed the blood quill, signing his name on his designated line. Draco immediately mirrored his fiancé's gesture. The contract glowed white for a moment, before it copied itself, the original disappearing to the Ministry's legal department.

Harrison turned to Draco and smiled at him. "You're mine forever."


	39. Chapter 39

**Thirty-ninth**

"I've called you all to this meeting because there are some things that need to be discussed," Lucius said to the heads of the various Ministry departments. "I've decided to make some changes. Bartemius Crouch Sr. will be in charge of all law departments. He will oversee the financials, requisitions, and other minutiae of the office, leaving those below him free to do the jobs that are required of them. He will be the ultimate authority when dealing with the money men, and he will also be the one responsible for discipline, as well as enforcement of the rules. Thorfinn Rowle will be put in charge of the DMLE. As head, he will be in charge of the Aurors, as well as the Hit Wizards. No longer will the Hit Wizards be an independent entity within the Ministry. There's too much of a risk of criminal activity if a single department is left unsupervised.

"Rufus Scrimgeour and Amelia Bones will be co-heads of the Department of Emergency Management. We need a system in place that will take all the calls and alerts, and divide them into the urgent, and the important. Aurors do not have the time, nor the requisite training, to be able to decide which is an emergency situation, and which is one that may wait. The calls will be classed under four colors; red for violent situations, orange for volatile situations, yellow for disturbances, and green for nuisance calls. The new trainees will be utilized for the nuisance calls; I do not want seasoned Aurors going out on calls about kneazles stuck in trees." Snickers met this pronouncement, making Lucius smile slightly.

"I've enlisted the help of several people in creating a new department, which will be a social services department. For too long, we've gone without any way to keep track of magical orphans left in the muggle world. We also have no accommodations in place for those in the magical and muggle world who are facing abuse or neglect. I intend for this new department to monitor and track every muggleborn and halfblood in the muggle world, and remove them from their caretakers, if it becomes obvious that the children are being treated badly. I will ask that a list of families, willing to foster these children, be made available, so that the little ones have a place to go, where they will be welcomed with open arms and warm, loving hearts. We also have several homes, donated generously by Sirius Black, in which to place the orphans so that they may receive the care and attention they deserve.

"As well, I will be speaking with the newly created planning commission on expanding our magical communities. There are acres of land, over magical ley lines, out in the muggle world that are uninhabitable by the muggles because of the amounts of raw magic in the earth. We will send out surveyors and assayers to assess the suitability of these properties to the settlement of more magical communities. I will be working with other countries to expand our communities. If the plans we have in place to help our world grow bear fruit, we will need the space in which to expand, as I foresee a great burgeoning growth of our magical populations, with the influx of muggleborns who are willing to stay.

"Finally, I have in place a department that will oversee the continuing growth and development of magical Great Britain. This department will issue permits for creating new buildings, and for refurbishing existing ones. It will also be where we house blueprints, both muggle and magical, for every single building in our community, for quick reference should the need arise. To that end, I've reached out to the community at large, to find those talented with architecture and construction, to help change the face of a great many areas in our part of the world that need upgrading. This endeavor is being undertaken so that we may, finally, have communities that will provide, not only safe and clean housing, but opportunities for new businesses. We've been stuck in the distant past for far too long. It's time that we step forward, into a future that will bring prosperity and happiness to us all." For a long moment, silence reigned in the room, before sudden applause broke out, everyone smiling happily at the new plans. Lucius basked under the positive attention, thrilled to be at the forefront of the push to modernize and expand their world.

* * *

 _Dear Mr. Riddle,_

 _Once again, my husband and I would like to apologize for the way our daughter treated you, as well as for the way she acted. She has always been awkward in social situations, and had preferred to be by herself. We had always thought it was her intellect that had kept her separate. When we took her to the psychologist, he ran a battery of tests and discovered that Hermione has a form of autism called Asperger's syndrome. It's a higher-functioning form of autism, but it still carries the issues related to social interactions. Had we known, we would have ensured that she would have had the education necessary to help her adjust to boarding school life. Since we thought it was just crippling shyness, we did all we could to encourage her to reach out. We had no idea that, in her efforts to please us, she would become obnoxious in her attempts to appear 'normal'. We carry the full burden of this, and regret not seeing her for who she truly was._

 _In order for her to continue her magical education, we have sent her to a special magical school in the States, that caters to those with developmental disabilities, including autism. We thought to blame ourselves for this condition; after all, if she would have been born to magical parents, this wouldn't have happened. Unfortunately, in our research to find an adequate school that would meet her needs, we discovered that even the magical parents sometimes had children with developmental disabilities. I'm not sure how your world handles these kinds of issues, but I hope it's with kindness and understanding. Anyway, I just thought that I'd update you on what's happening with our daughter, since she talked about you all the time._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Jane Granger_

Harrison finished the letter and let it fall to his lap. Draco, seeing the contemplative look on his boyfriend's face, decided to wait until the raven was willing to talk about it. The sudden movement of Harrison into a standing position startled the Malfoy heir, and he quickly stood as well, following the other teen out of the common room and to Severus' quarters. "Dad?" he asked softly as he approached the Potions Master. The man was concerned at the troubled look on his son's face and quickly hugged the teen, leading him to the sofa, where the raven cuddled into his dad's side for comfort. Draco sat on the other side, arm wrapped around Harrison's waist and fingers gently stroking the teen's side through the t-shirt he wore.

"What's troubling you, son?" Severus asked softly, kissing the mop of unruly hair leaning against his shoulder. Silently, his son handed him the letter, waiting until he'd finished it.

"I've never heard of any developmental disabilities in the wizarding world," Harrison said quietly. Draco's silver eyes widened in shock, before they closed in shame. Harrison didn't see this; his face was buried in his dad's shoulder.

"That's because we don't acknowledge them," the blond answered softly, arm tightening around his boyfriend's waist. "No one knows this, but I have an older sister. Her name is Lyra, and she's the Malfoys' 'dirty little secret'. She is warehoused in an institution just outside Knockturn Alley, along with a few others. It's where all the purebloods put their less than perfect children, to be raised in squalor. I know that my father's working on cleaning up our community, but I doubt that he's given much thought to the 'home' in which he'd placed my sister. He has, more or less, put her out of his mind, but I've heard Mother crying late at night, missing her daughter."

"Unfortunately, his attitudes aren't much different from those in the muggle world," Harrison said sadly, leaning over to kiss his boyfriend comfortingly. "There are a lot of bare bones mental facilities in the muggle world that are used to house those people we don't want to acknowledge. A lot of it is guilt; parents believe that they, somehow, did something that caused their child's infirmity. Some of it is selfishness; they don't want the imperfect child to mar their perfect world. A small bit of it is indifference; they didn't want the child in the first place, so they more or less 'threw it away'."

"We will have a talk with your father about this over the weekend," Severus told his son. "It is not a conversation for the other children to hear, even inadvertently."

"Agreed," the blond said with a heavy sigh. "Father should be there, as well. If he wants to be seen as a Minister for the people, then it should include _all_ the people."

* * *

The weekend came, and with it, conversations. Narcissa was present when Tom ripped his friend a new one for abandoning a magical child to a hellish fate. For his part, Lucius was ashamed of himself; he'd all but forgotten the child in his efforts to first, survive serving the Dark Lord, then in serving the wizarding public. Immediately, he apparated to the 'home', removing his daughter from the fetid stench of urine and feces, and brought her back to the Manor. Narcissa immediately took her daughter up to the heiress suite, where the girl was pampered and cleaned; all the while her mother spoke softly to her and hummed a lullaby. Lucius went to the Ministry and had the operation shut down, the building razed. Sirius then took the children to the first Black Manor that he and Tom had converted, where a loving, caring staff of counselors, as well as house elves, waited to take care of the abandoned pureblood children.

Now, they were sitting in the Dark Lord's den, chatting about getting some muggleborn psychologists and psychiatrists to attend to those children who were developmentally disabled. "Each home we visited will be outfitted with facilities that will cater to the needs of these special children," Tom told Sirius, who nodded quick agreement. "The pureblood families need to be educated to the fact that they're not responsible for the infirmities to which their children suffer."

"Agreed," Lucius said into the quiet, still ashamed. "Though the inbreeding done over the centuries may have contributed to keeping the defective genes within the family, it's no one's fault that these special children are disabled."

"You're right, Lucius," Severus intoned solemnly. "Genetics play a minor part in it, but some of it is environmental, and some of it is just a quirk of fate, twisting a chromosome here, a hormone there, to create the disability."

"The purebloods need to understand that the handicaps their children exhibit is no reason to punish them," Harrison said heatedly, face red from his anger. "Throwing them away; denying their existence is the cruelest form of child abuse that there is. It makes them no better than the _Dursleys_ , for Merlin's sake!"

"Ouch," Lucius murmured with a wince. "That one stung, but you are right. I was no better than those people who treated you so abhorrently. I can only hope that Lyra will forgive me some day."

"She will," Narcissa finally said, glad to see that her husband had learned something. "She will need a few days to adjust to the new surroundings, and the new experiences, but I am positive that she will fit seamlessly into the family." A tap at the closed door alerted the group to a visitor.

"That's odd," Tom said as he rose to answer it. "Usually a house elf tells me of visitors." He opened the door, shocked at the sight of the person on the other side. "Bella! Do come in and have a seat." The woman entered and made her ponderous way to a chair near the fireplace, dropping into it gracelessly.

"Hello, Tom," she murmured, glancing at everyone else in the room. "Lucius, Cissa, Severus, cousin Sirius, Draco, little Lord. I am happy to be here, and glad to see you all. May I say congratulations, Tom, on your bonding and your fatherhood? He is a very handsome lad, and will do you proud."

"Thank you, Bella," the Dark Lord said absently, still shocked at the appearance of one of his most faithful, but also most insane. "If I may ask, why are you here?"

"I've come to check in with you," she replied, placing her hands on her rounded belly, "and to announce a new addition to the Lestrange family."

"Is…is this what you want, Bella?" Narcissa asked carefully, staring at her sister with longing.

"It is," the dark woman replied with a wide smile. "After your fall, Lord Riddle, Rodolphus and Rabastan made sure that we were in hiding, since Dumbledore was spreading the lies that we had tortured the Longbottoms. During this time, Rodolphus made sure I saw a Mind Healer, to perhaps work through the problems causing my insanity. It turns out that Albus Dumbledore had put a block on my magic, denying me access to a large portion of it, and it was this that had driven me mad. The Healer was able to release the block slowly over the intervening years, until I now have access to my full magical core. The madness faded during the treatment, and when I heard that you were back, and a father, I just had to come see you.

"I stayed in the shadows for a long while, watching you and the little Lord as you went about your business. I saw how _good_ he was for you, and, when I talked to Rodolphus and Rabastan, they sang glowing praises about you. Now that things have settled down to a great degree, I wanted to come visit, and let you know that I'm so much better now, and looking forward to the changes that are coming to our world."

"Thank you, Bella," Tom replied softly with a wide smile. "Congratulations on your upcoming birth, and I'm very glad that you're better now." Everyone else added their congratulations and happy words, chattering for a while. Finally, as the day grew late, Bella rose from her chair and made her slow way to the door.

"Before I forget," she said as she turned to the group, "I would like to have Tom and Severus be the godfathers to my child."

* * *

"The Weird Sisters are here, and they're bringing some visitors," Harrison told his father and Draco. The blond was instantly out of his chair and heading for the salon, excited to meet his favorite band. He got there slightly before everyone else, and just _stared_ at them. Standing in front of him were Heathcote Barbary, Gideon Crumb, Kirley Duke, Merton Graves, Orsino Thruston, Donaghan Tremlett, Myron Wagtail, and Herman Wintringham.

"Hello," said Heathcote. "And who might you be?"

"I…I…I…" the blond stammered, unable to get his brain to work.

"He's Draco Malfoy," Harrison replied with a laugh. "Usually he's a bit more articulate than that, but I guess everyone has their brain fart moments." The blond flushed scarlet in embarrassment, turning burning silver eyes on his unrepentant boyfriend. "I am Harrison Riddle, and this is my father, Tom. This is my dad, Severus, and this is the Minister of Magic, Lucius Malfoy." The lead singer nodded his head and made his own introductions.

"I've contacted a few muggleborn bands and singers, and they will be here momentarily," Merton Graves said. "They were actually quite excited to be asked to be a part of the growing entertainment field in the wizarding world of Great Britain. They've been doing some scouting since the invitation came, and have put together quite an impressive roster of musicians and bands."

"That is good news," Draco finally said, once he got his brain back into gear. He was just about to say more when the floo lit up, emitting a rather large group of people, all dressed in all manner of stylish clothing.

"Allow me to make the introductions," Orsino Thruston said as he turned to the motley group. "First, we have Death Leopard." The group bowed with a small smile. "Then we have Fisted Mister, followed by Judah Pastor, Steel Damsel, Davey Booey, Phil McCauley and Feathers, Gentleness, Rickroll Arsley, Pam Benadryl, June Jetway and the Whiteharts, Hearth, and Hairysmith." By the time the musician had finished his introductions, Harrison was bouncing on his toes, squeeing like a little girl and fangasming all over the place.

"Oh, Merlin, oh, Merlin, oh, Merlin," he muttered excitedly. "Death Leopard, Davey Booey, Hearth…I…I can't believe it."

"You know them, son?" Tom asked with amusement at his child's antics.

"Yeah. They're some of the greatest rock and roll and metal bands in the muggle world. Phil McCauley was even a member of the Bootles at one time. Do you know how _epic_ this is?"

* * *

The next prank happened that Monday. Harrison was still in the clouds at meeting some of his favorite bands and musicians, so the prank just added another layer to his happiness. The twins had developed a powder, to be inhaled, that induced hallucinations, in the victim, of the thing that they most feared. It wasn't going to be used as a joke product; if it worked the way the redheads planned, it would be a devastating weapon against the purebloods set to harm their extended family. They had, of course, toned it down some. They wanted to induce fear in their brother, but they didn't want to permanently _disable_ him. So it was that Fred 'sneezed' in Ron's direction, ensuring that the powder in his hand was focused specifically on the redhead. Ron coughed and sputtered as the powder shot into his face, inhaling enough of the product to affect him. The rest was harmlessly summoned by George, to prevent anyone else from suffering its effects.

"What the hell, Fred?" Ron barked loudly at his brother.

"Sorry, Ronnikins," the older twin said with faux sheepishness. "Just had a powdered doughnut. Didn't know that the powder would travel that far." Grumbling, the youngest Weasley rose from his seat and headed off to Potions. Smirking, the twins gave Harrison a thumbs-up. The raven smiled and headed to Potions class with his friends to see the fallout.

It didn't take long before the powder did its job. They were concentrating on their quiz, when suddenly a loud shriek erupted, scaring the bejeezus out of everyone in the class. "Mr. Weasley," Severus growled lowly as he rose from his desk and stalked to the redhead. Ron looked up at his name, screaming in terror as he watched the large black spider creep closer and closer. He fell backward off of his bench, scrambling to the back of the room and trembling in horror as he watched dozens of spiders of every shape and size head directly to him. Closing his eyes and slapping his hands over his face, he trembled and paled, before he hyperventilated himself into a faint.

"What in Merlin's name was _that_ all about?" Lavender asked curiously, staring at the prostrate form of the Weasel.

"Finnegan, please take Mr. Weasley to the infirmary," Severus intoned, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We'll need to let the twins know not to use that anymore," Draco murmured to his fiancé.

"Agreed," the brunet said as he stared at the boy on the floor. "I think that one was a bit too _much_."


	40. Chapter 40

**Fortieth**

"That prank you played was a bit much," Severus told the twins later that week. The students were so busy trying to get back into the swing of things that it completely slipped both Harrison's and Draco's minds to talk to the twin terrors about the latest punishment. "It would be a perfect weapon against the pureblood revolutionaries, but not the students."

"We understand, Severus," Fred said solemnly. "We've had Ron in our dorm, sleeping with either George or me the last few days, just to keep him sane. If it's possible, would you be able to remove those memories? We'd kinda like our space back."

"I will see what I can do," the man replied, laughter in his voice. "Keep developing things like that for protection. We could even set aside another small building to store them, just in case."

"We will," the teens replied together with a firm nod. "Where's Harrison?"

"He had some things to do," Draco answered, frowning. "I don't like that he's alone, but he insisted that he'd watch out for anything unusual. Still doesn't mean I have to like it, though."

"I'm sure that he will be all right, Draco," the Potions Master murmured consolingly. "He is in Hogwarts; what could possibly happen to him here?"

* * *

"Harrison," a new voice called out to the raven. He paused and turned, eyes widening as he watched Roger Davies, Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillan, Zacharias Smith, and Morag MacDougal approach.

"May I help you?" he queried warily, watching them with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"We just want to talk for a moment," Lavender replied softly, a calculating gleam in her eye. Before he could move away, the other teens surrounded him and grabbed him, touching a portkey that whisked them away from Hogwarts. They landed in the basement of an old, derelict manor house, where the raven was shoved into a cell and locked in. "My father wishes to speak with you," the girl snarled, eyes glittering. "He has a great many _questions_ for you." Harrison looked at the others, frowning when he saw the fear in their eyes. _Something's going on with them. They don't look like they want to be doing this._

They left the basement, presumably to inform Brown that he was in residence, leaving Harrison pacing the small cell and looking around for anything that could help. He patted his pockets, scowling when he realized that one of the kidnappers had relieved him of his wand. _I'll have Father get my wand back for me, if I ever get out of here.  
_

* * *

"Sandie," Draco called worriedly. The little elf popped in right away, fear in her eyes. Before Draco could say anything, she was babbling frantically.

"Master Harrison is being gone from the castle. He is being somewhere that I is not able to being getting to. The bond is being acting up. He is being _gone_." Draco immediately dashed from his shared dorm room, running through the common room and out the door frantically. The other Slytherins watched the blond go with wide eyes, before his core group of friends rose as one and immediately left the snakepit. They entered the hall in enough time to see Draco disappear into Severus' personal quarters. Following quickly, they got to the door just before it closed, pushing it open and listening in horror as the blond explained.

"Someone took Harrison out of the castle," Malfoy barked loudly. Sandie had gone directly to Tom, and moments later the Dark Lord barged past the stunned group at the door and into the Potions Master's personal quarters, crimson eyes glowing with rage.

"Harrison is not here?" he hissed menacingly, advancing on Severus and Draco, who started trembling at the feel of his oppressive magic, which had slipped from his control and was swirling around the rooms.

"N-no, sir," Draco replied with a bow of his head. "S-someone took him from the castle."

* * *

Harrison crouched in the furthest corner of the cell away from the entrance to the cellar, huffing impatiently at the wait. He knew he was in trouble, but he didn't want to make it _easy_ for the man. _What in Merlin's name is going on?_ he thought angrily, nervously twisting the heir ring on his index finger. _I know this has something to do with Father, but I wish they'd bloody well hurry_ _ **up**_ _!_ He continued to twist the ring as his impatience continued to grow, before a sheepish smile graced his face as he stared down at the gift from his father. He remembered the words told to him two years earlier.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

" _This is the Heir ring for the House of Slytherin," Tom said as he slid it onto his son's left index finger. It automatically resized to fit, and the child blushed with pleasure as he felt his father's familiar magic surround him. "It is spelled to protect you from most hexes and curses, and is an emergency portkey should you find yourself in dire straits. Simply turn the ring on your finger and whisper 'home' and you will be brought straight to the castle."_

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

"Circe," he mumbled to himself as he stared down at the ring. "I've been surrounded by Father's magic for so long that I completely forgot about the other spells on this." He stood and turned the ring on his finger, whispering ' _home_ ' just as the door in front of the cell opened, admitting Buster Brown. Harrison smirked and waved at the man as the portkey activated, whisking him away. The roar of rage followed the raven to the den, where everyone had assembled in an effort to try and figure out where the brunet had been taken. Draco was instantly in his arms, trembling fiercely as he tried to get his rampaging emotions under control. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered softly as he burrowed his nose into Harrison's neck. "I don't know if I could ever live without you, and I don't want to try."

"I'm all right," the raven murmured back, holding the blond just as tightly. "If it wasn't for the heir ring Father had given me before second year, I would still be there."

"Are you all right, son?" came the twin voices of his father and his dad. Pulling reluctantly from his fiancé's arms, he turned just in time to be wrapped in the loving arms of his parents, Tom in front and Severus behind him. They cuddled and hugged and kissed him nearly frantically; Harrison ate it up, still feeling a little jarred at the sudden abduction.

"I'm fine," he husked out, jumping when Sandie popped in right on top of his feet, spindly arms wrapped around his knees as she babbled apologies and promises of retribution in the same breath. Sirius burst through the doors just then, intent on getting to the floo so that he could warn Tom of impending danger. He halted mid-stride as he saw the group in the center of the room, Harrison buried amongst his parents.

"Thank _Merlin_ ," the animagus sighed out gustily, hand on his still frantically beating heart. "My magic was screaming ' _danger_ ', and the only one that I figured it would be screaming about is Harrison. I'm glad to see that you're all right, Harrison."

"I'm fine, Padfoot," came his voice, muffled by Tom's chest. A few moments later, everyone let go, allowing the raven to sit on the sofa before the fireplace. Instantly Draco was at his side, cuddled into him, still trembling. Harrison wrapped a reassuring arm around his boyfriend's waist, pulling him closer and burying his nose in the sweet smelling blonde hair on his shoulder. The scent of his beloved did much to soothe his chattering thoughts, and he finally relaxed amongst the safety of family. Sandie had popped away, returning with hot cocoa for the teens and firewhiskey for the adults. Taking a large swallow of the potent alcohol, Severus heaved a huge sigh of relief, finally relaxing.

"Can you tell us what happened, Harrison?" his father asked gently, the flames of rage banked in his eyes for the moment.

"Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillan, Morag MacDougal, Zacharias Smith, and Roger Davies came up to me in the halls," their son replied softly, still nuzzling his boyfriend. Draco had his eyes closed, fingers wound tightly in Harrison's robes. "They wanted to 'talk' to me. I was very suspicious, but before I could get away from them, they surrounded me, grabbing me and activating a portkey. It took me to the basement of a derelict manor, where they shoved me into a makeshift cell. One of them also took my wand; I was hoping you could get it back for me. Anyway, I was to wait there for Buster Brown's 'inquisition'.

"I had been there for a while, nervously twisting the heir ring on my finger, when I remembered what you'd told me about it when you gave it to me, Father. So I activated the emergency portkey, and disappeared just as Brown was entering the basement. I heard his roar as I was whisked away; he's bound to be even more furious now that I've escaped him. Things are going to get decidedly ugly soon."

Draco mumbled something from the depths of Harrison's neck, the vibrations sending shivers down the raven's spine.

"Care to repeat that, Draco, without Harrison's neck as a gag this time?" Severus said with laughter in his voice. Huffing at having to leave his hiding place, the blond pulled his face away and repeated his question.

"I _said_ , I thought you couldn't use portkeys in Hogwarts."

"Normally you can't," Tom answered the blond. "However, since Dumbledore held the wards, and he failed to transfer them fully to McGonagall, they're a bit weaker than usual, which enabled the students to take my son away. That will be something about which I have need to speak with her."

* * *

"How the hell does he keep _escaping_?!" Brown bellowed at his cowering compatriots. "Every time I think I have him, something happens and he _gets away_! You lot are doing absolutely _nothing_ to help us along, either!" he barked, pointing at MacDougal, Davies, Macmillan and Abbott. "The only ones I can count on are the former Death Eaters!" With that pronouncement, he stormed away, leaving minor chaos in his wake. The others gathered together to try and hash out another plan to get Harrison Riddle, while the four that Brown had singled out went into a private corner, raising a shield to protect their conversation.

"I don't like this," Abbott said quietly, eyeing the rest of the group warily. "It doesn't seem right that he's so focused on eliminating a child that is the same age as our own. If the places were reversed, I'd move heaven and hell to protect my Hannah. Besides, Harrison Riddle had done my daughter a good turn when he stopped the Weasley twins from tormenting the first and second years two years ago."

"Agreed," Davies murmured. "I've been looking around at the wizarding world lately, and I must say that things are far better now than they have been in a very long time. Much of that is due to the changes made to the Ministry, and the laws. Since Lucius Malfoy has been in office, those laws that restrict magic have been abolished, with new laws in place to monitor the safety and well-being of the wizarding public. The Aurors have quicker response times now, and I've noticed that the stupid, frivolous calls are being handled by trainees, leaving seasoned Aurors to handle the tougher things."

"Yeah," Macmillan contributed excitedly, "and did you see what's happening in Knockturn Alley? They're putting up new businesses and cleaning up the neighborhood. They're even putting in reasonably inexpensive housing. Finally, we can get the people off the streets and into something decent."

"I hate to admit it," Davies finished the conversation, "but it looks like the new Dark Lord is exactly what our world needs to survive and thrive. Perhaps we should approach him and see if there's anything we could do to help."

* * *

"I need Lavender Brown to please stay after class," Tom said forebodingly as the students began to pack up their things. Draco and Harrison stayed put; they knew what this was about, and were anxious to get the raven's wand back. The girl in question gulped audibly as she subsided back into her seat. When Harrison had turned up the next morning at breakfast, everyone involved in his kidnapping showed a brief moment of terrified shock, before they marshaled their faces into indifferent masks. However, since Tom was observing the student body closely, he caught the looks, and his crimson eyes narrowed as he noticed that only Lavender Brown seemed angry. The rest looked… _relieved_ , as if they had wanted no part of it, but were unable to keep from participating.

"Y-you wanted to speak to me, sir?" the girl stammered once everyone had cleared the classroom. The door closed with an echoing boom, and she didn't miss the flick of the professor's wand as he erected privacy and locking spells on the portal.

"I did," he grumbled as he stalked closer to the terrified girl. "I have it on good authority that you had spirited my son away from the school yesterday, and had taken him to your father. I do not intend to punish you for that; I believe I will leave it up to my son's fiancé. _However_ , you and your cohorts have something that belongs to him, and I want it _back_."

"I…I don't know what you mean," she squeaked, trembling visibly. Crimson eyes narrowed at the lie, and she whimpered softly. "I don't have it!" she gasped out. "One of the others kept his wand. I don't have it."

* * *

Tom stalked into the Great Hall at dinner, and pulled Zacharias and Ernie from Hufflepuff, and Roger and Morag from Ravenclaw, marching them out the door and to an abandoned classroom. Minerva watched it with narrowed eyes, before descending from the dais and approaching Harrison. Ron, seeing his former best mate about to get into trouble, sat back with a wide smile and a vindictive gleam in his eye, happy to see the backstabbing traitor finally get what he deserved. "Mr. Riddle," she said softly, "do you have any idea what your father is doing?"

"Yes, ma'am," the raven replied equally softly. "Lavender Brown, Morag MacDougal, Zacharias Smith, Ernie MacMillan, and Roger Davies used a portkey on me yesterday, and took me to an abandoned house, where their parents were waiting to 'interrogate' me. They took my wand and shoved me into a cell. I was able to escape, due to precautions my father had taken in my second year, but I wasn't able to recover my wand."

"Why would their parents wish to speak with you?"

"Because they supported the Dark Lord, when he was still insane," Draco replied. "They want Tom Riddle to return to what he was, and they blame Harrison for his changes. They think that, if they eliminate Harrison and Severus from Tom's life, that he will revert to the Dark Lord of old."

"The wizarding world of Great Britain is prospering and growing like it never has before," the transfiguration professor murmured with a frown. "Why would they want to go back to all that pain and terror?"

"Because they still believe that muggleborns and halfbloods are inferior," Harrison answered her softly.

* * *

"Where is it?" Tom growled lowly, crimson eyes glowing with promises of painful punishment. The four students cowered against a far wall, Zacharias whimpering in fear.

"Where is what?" Ernie asked, voice quavering.

"My son's wand. I know that one of you has it. I saw the relief in your eyes when my son showed up in the Great Hall for breakfast, so I know that none of you wanted to be involved in this."

"No, sir," Morag replied, stepping forward and pulling the holly and phoenix feather wand from an inner pocket. "Our fathers have been talking to us of late, and they're really impressed with all the changes being made to our world. Lavender came to us and threatened us. Told us that if we didn't help her, that she'd tell her father that our dads weren't 'team players' anymore. We didn't want anything to happen to them, so we went along with it. We were going to try and tell you where he was when we went to Defense class, but when we saw him in the Great Hall, we were relieved."

Tom took the wand gently from the girl with a nod of thanks. "Can you tell me where they are right now?"

"They're in a derelict manor house in a place called Little Hangleton," Zacharias answered, feeling braver now that there was no imminent punishment to be had. Tom's eyebrows skated into his hairline in shock to hear that the pureblood revolution was using his own father's house as a hideout. Riddle had left the home to rot, not wanting anything to do with the man who had abandoned his mother when she needed him the most. Recently, after he had adopted Harrison, he'd taken the child to his father's old home, where they walked around, looking at all the dust-covered mementos of a life he could have had. When he'd reached his father's bedroom, he had stood in the doorway, staring at the opulence shrouded in dust and webbing. Harrison had quietly prodded him to go in and take a few things, to remember his beginnings. At his urging, Tom had retrieved a family portrait of his father, grandmother and grandfather, as well as a couple of equestrian trophies and some of his father's jewelry. He never wore any of it; instead he placed the pieces in a corner curio cabinet in the Keep, along with the family portrait and the trophies, to remind him from whence he came.

"I know the place," he murmured thoughtfully. "When you can, tell your fathers that I'd like to speak with them."

"M-my father won't," Zacharias said shamefully, eyes down. "He's not terribly happy with the way I've been treated here."

"That's _your_ fault, you know," Ernie snapped with a glare. "If you hadn't have walked around here, acting like you were Merlin's gift to magic, you'd be better treated."

"I know," the embarrassed Hufflepuff whispered. "My father was a bit ashamed that I got into Hufflepuff. Most of our family has been either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Me becoming a 'Puff just shamed him. So, I put on an act, to try and make him proud of me."

"But, see," Roger said softly, "you don't _have_ to put on an act. We're your friends, and I'm sure Harrison will be your friend, and ours, too, if we apologize and explain things."

"I see no issue with my son befriending the lot of you," Tom said into the quiet, startling the teens. They had forgotten he was there for a moment. "He is a firm believer in second chances, as long as you don't give him a reason to regret his decision. Besides, I'm sure that you'll enjoy working with his friends and he on the projects they have going right now."

"Thank you, sir," Morag murmured. "We'll get in touch with our fathers as soon as we can."


	41. Chapter 41

**Forty-first**

Lavender's scream filled the Gryffindor common room as she bolted down the stairs to the girls' dorms, scaring a fair few first years that had gathered for breakfast. Instantly, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and the twins were in the common area, Ron nearly taking a tumble down the stairs in his hurry. They stopped dead and stared at the frantic girl in stunned surprise for a moment, then laughter could be heard as the twins fell to the floor, holding their stomachs and rolling on the floor, tears streaming from their eyes. Seamus and Dean had a hard time keeping in their _own_ hilarity, and Ron turned to his older brothers, kicking them none too gently to get them to stop.

Brown was bald. Not a single hair remained on her head, and her hands clutched large swathes of the chestnut brown locks. "It's not _funny_!" she shrieked, banshee-like. "My beautiful _hair!_ Which one of you cretins _did_ this?" She marched up to the twins, who were rubbing their sore sides as they stood back up, wiping their eyes and snorting softly every once in a while. She thrust the strands in the boys' faces, waving her hands around and slapping them with the hair. They flinched back, offended at the overpoweringly flowery scent that had wafted up from the bundles.

" _We_ didn't do it," Fred barked, once he'd gotten himself back under control. "We have _no reason_ to do anything to you, Brown."

"I _know_ you're that little bastard's friends," she snapped back, incensed. "I also know that you've been working on pranks. _You_ did this and I want you to _fix_ it!" At that moment, a house elf popped in. She was wearing an emerald green velvet dress with a silver sash. She had on a pearl necklace, an emerald and pearl bracelet and ring, as well as a butterfly pin. She glared venomously at the bald girl for a very long moment as she stood sentry in front of Harrison's friends.

"I is being the one who is being stealing your hair," she snapped, the rage in her voice making the girl back up, afraid. "You is being stealing my master, who is being very important to me, so I is being stealing your hair, which is being very important to _you_." She turned and took George's hand, nodding at Fred, Seamus and Dean. They all linked hands, with Dean taking Sandie's remaining hand. With a resounding crack, the four Gryffindors disappeared, leaving minor chaos in their wake.

* * *

"Sandie, that was _priceless_ ," Draco trumpeted. The twins had shared their memory of the occurrence in the Gryffindor common room with everyone as soon as they had arrived at the Potions Master's private chambers. Sirius was laughing for all he was worth; he was subbing for Remus because of the full moon, and he was glad he did. Even Severus let out a couple of chuckles as he laid a fond hand on the little elf's head.

"Thank you for protecting my son," he intoned softly.

"That bit of revenge will match with mine," the blond continued, leaning down to brush a gentle kiss to the elf's cheek. "I've got a spell that will make her a little unpleasant to be around for a while."

"I've alerted the _Quibbler_ about her stupidity," Luna told everyone as she cuddled into Neville's side. "Father was rather happy to get the article; it seems the Browns have been a bit of a thorn in his side over the years, trying to bully him into printing slander against some of the muggleborns and halfbloods that have made their homes in the wizarding world. Apparently, the Browns have been trying to drive out the mixed blood populations for years."

"Some of the purebloods involved with that nonsense wish to leave it behind now," Tom told everyone, his own face creased with a fond smile for Harrison's little champion. She made the perfect paladin for his son, and he couldn't be prouder of her. "I will be meeting them at the Keep this weekend; I'd like you lot to be there, as well. I'm sure that they will want to apologize to Harrison, and they might have some ideas for changing the wizarding world."

* * *

Barty blushed as he answered the door to his personal rooms in the school. Sirius stood on the other side, dressed in semi-formal wizard robes and holding an exceedingly rare Dark Arts book in his arms. The animagus knew of the other man's fondness for knowledge, so he decided to gift him with one of his father's most prized books. "Thank you for agreeing to this meeting," Black said with a courtly bow of his head. "As my first courting gift to you, I present you with _Olde Magick: From Gaia to Nefran, and All Deities in Between_ _by Morgan LeFay_. This was written by her after her two year long sabbatical in McGruber's Woods. She had spent that time communicating with the gods and goddesses who had granted us our magic, and was able to pry a fair few secrets from them. I thought, since you seem to be so passionate about the Dark Arts, you would have a better use for this than I would."

"S-Sirius," the other man gasped out, stunned. "I…I don't know what to say. _Thank_ you. It is most appreciated, and I happily accept." He took the book from Sirius' outstretched hands reverently, stepping back to allow the animagus entrance to his private rooms. Sirius closed the door as Barty turned away to gently place the book on the table by his favorite chair. He turned back to the animagus and smiled shyly, blushing again. "W-would you like something to drink? Some wine, perhaps?"

"Yes, thank you. Our reservations are in two hours, so I thought I'd come early so that we could talk for a while."

"P-please, have a seat while I get the drinks."

The restaurant was Ze Kitchen Galerie in Paris, styled like the neighboring art galleries on a Saint Germain des Pres side street. Barty's eyes widened in pleasure as he looked around, spying the Eiffel Tower in the distance, as well as the Seine flowing by. He could also see the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris as well. Sirius drew the other man's arm through his and escorted him through the doors of the restaurant. He murmured his name to the mâitre d', who took two menus from his stand and led them to a table by a window. The view looked out on the lights of Paris, with the reflections gleaming gently on the water nearby. Barty sighed as he took the menu from the man with a murmured thanks, opening it to hide the blush that didn't seem to want to fade. Sirius' eyebrow cocked in amusement, thrilled that the other man was so bashful. _Hopefully I can bring him out of his shell, mitigate some of the trauma he'd suffered under the old Dark Lord and his beastly father._

A sommelier was at the table an instant later, handing Sirius the wine list. The animagus perused it with his grey eyes gleaming, looking for a specific vintage. A smile lit his face as he pointed to the Dom Pérignon 1982. Nodding, the wine steward took the menu and stepped away smartly. During the lull before a waiter approached, the men looked around at the ambiance of the restaurant. It was a beautiful loft-like white space with parquet floors, furnished with steel tables and chairs and decorated with contemporary art.

"It's very nice here," Barty said softly, glancing shyly at Sirius from under his lashes.

"It is," the animagus replied, staring at the man across from him in admiration. Barty had worn deep blue semi-formal robes, which complimented Sirius' own dove grey ones. A white starched shirt peeked from under the collar of the robes, with a lapel pin in the shape of a rose complimenting the ensemble. Sirius wore the House of Black stick pin in his own lapel. Before long, the sommelier had returned, decanting the champagne at the table and allowing Sirius to taste it. The animagus nodded his head in approval, and the wine steward poured out a suitable amount in each glass before sliding the bottle into the ice bucket at the side of the table. They toasted their budding relationship, before talk turned to Harrison's lessons and the changes being made to the wizarding world.

A waiter appeared at Sirius' elbow, and he ordered for both of them. "For Barty, Linguine sabodet, champignons, gingembrethe. I would like the ravioli, consommé, condiment tamarin . For the main course, he will have the pêche du jour: "chou toute saveur", jus gingembre-yuzukosho, while I have the Veau jarret confit, condiment bigarrade. For dessert, his will be the Fruits d'automne châtaigne, crème bergamote, while I'll have the glace chocolat blanc-wasabi poire-passion."

"Very good, sir," the waiter said with a bow of his head before taking the menus. As they waited for their food, they spoke of future plans, and what they saw for the rest of the wizarding world.

"There has to be some way to rid our world of the prejudice against muggleborns and halfbloods," Crouch said passionately. Sirius watched the man's face flush with his fervor, trying not to become aroused at the sight.

"I think the first thing we should do is stop calling them muggleborns and halfbloods," Sirius replied. "They are, first and foremost, witches and wizards. To continue to label them is to continue to keep them separate from the rest of us."

* * *

"Thor!" Remus yelped when he answered the door of his home in Grimmauld Place. He was given the next day off so that he could enjoy his date with his boyfriend, and Remus wanted to have a little alone time with the Head of the DMLE. The Scandinavian-looking man was looking forward to some quiet time just as much. "Please come in. You're a bit early. I was just finishing dinner, if you'd like to take a seat in the lounge." Remus gestured to a room off to the right while he continued on down to the kitchen. He was therefore shocked when he turned and bumped into the large man. Hands immediately wrapped around his waist as Rowle huffed out a husky laugh.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to be in here with you. I like watching the way you move."

"N-no, not at all," the werewolf replied with a blush, eyes intently on the buttons of Thor's shirt. He jumped a little when he felt a finger under his chin, lifting it so that he could look into warm blue eyes. Those eyes came closer as Rowle closed the distance between them, sealing his lips over Remus'. The wolf shuddered and whimpered slightly, opening his mouth when Thorfinn's tongue stroked along his bottom lip, ceding dominance to the big man almost immediately. It was a long, slow, leisurely kiss that made Remus' whole body heat up. There was no demand in the kiss; it was a tender exploration, with a promise for more when the werewolf was ready. Rowle finally released the man and let him stumble over to the stove to finish making their meal, chuckling huskily under his breath as he watched the full-body shudder of desire undulate through the smaller man.

* * *

"Thank you for meeting with us, my Lord," Daragh MacDougall said with a bow of his head. Ray Davies, Bud Abbott, and Simon MacMillan all came, but the most surprising was the attendance of Carnierus Smith. He had agreed with his friends; the changes being made to their world were a long time coming, and would provide so many more opportunities than they now had. As well, his son had owled him, explaining the reason for the antipathy that had been between Draco and himself. Zacharias had also told his father that he would apologize to both Malfoy and Harrison, in the hopes that he could be included in the plans they were making for the wizarding world. It was with a heavy heart that Carnierus realized that he'd put too much pressure on his only son, and had caused his isolation and ostracizing from the others.

"Please," Tom said with a look of distaste, "none of that 'Lord' stuff. If you've decided to help us make the necessary changes, then we all can be friends. My friends call me Tom."

"Very well…Tom," Smith said, speaking for the first time. "I would like to apologize to you for abducting your son a few weeks back, and for being involved in the kidnapping and threats to Draco Malfoy. My own son had explained everything to me, and it shames me that I was the reason for his reprehensible behavior in school. I only hope that you and Lord Malfoy will forgive the ignorance of an overprotective father."

"Apology accepted, and I understand completely what being an overprotective father entails. Now, if you would follow me, we have much to discuss." Tom led them to his den, where the kids were, once again, ensconced. The fathers were surprised to see their children amongst the group, and Smith bowed his head in mute acceptance of the change in dynamics, grateful for the chance to actually effect comprehensive, permanent changes to their world.

"We have been making changes to Knockturn Alley," Lucius told everyone. "We've put up inexpensive flats for those in the Alley who are short of means at the moment. They are rent-controlled, and there are a few of the denizens who are familiar with maintenance spells. They will be given a flat and a small monthly stipend to maintain and control the properties. We've also decided on the floor plans and décor for the movie theater, the publishing house, and the twins' joke shop. We're a little short-handed with the construction portion of it; it seems that not many wizards or witches thought having experience in architecture or construction was important."

"I…I believe I can help you there," Bud Abbott said softly. "Daragh and I have degrees from a wizarding university in the States in construction and architecture. We had taken a trip around the world just after graduating Hogwarts, to see what the other magical communities were like. When we stopped in the States for a while, we saw the way that they were designing and constructing their buildings, and it had appealed to us. So we agreed to get a Bachelor's degree; I in construction, and Daragh in architecture."

"That is most excellent news," Tom said with a wide smile. "You may go with Lucius tomorrow and choose a building from which you wish to work. Set yourselves up as a design and construction firm, and offer opportunities for education as well as employment to those who are interested. Do not worry about funds for the moment; Harrison and I would be happy to support your venture until you get it on its feet."

"Th-thank you. That is most generous of you," Daragh stammered happily.

"I…I am an artist," Ray Davies said softly. "I do mostly pen and ink drawings, and I have a few graphic novels at home that I had bound. I would be pleased to let you have a look at them."

"That would be my purview," Harrison said with a small smile. "The publishing firm is Draco's and my baby."

"Could…could I submit some of my stories and novels?" Simon MacMillan asked hesitantly. "I was never able to find someone willing to publish them. Perhaps they're not good enough, but I won't know until I try."

"I'd be happy to look at those for you," Draco responded with a firm nod.

"Now," Sirius said into the contemplative silence, "let's look at these floor plans and see what we have to work with."

* * *

"Thank you, Harrison," Ernie said the following Tuesday. They had hashed out the design plans for both the movie theater and the publishing house. The theater was a given; all that needed to be done was a little gutting of the building and refurbishing both the inside as well as the outside. The publishing house would be a more work-intensive project. They planned on an expansive cafeteria in the basement, with café-style tables and a fountain in the center. They were going to put in artificial windows that would reflect the weather and scenery out in the Alley. The ground floor would be a lobby, with a security desk as well as a check-in desk. There would be several lifts along the walls to either side of the desks, with placards identifying which floor accessed which department.

For the entertainment studios, there would be the rehearsal rooms, training rooms, and music labs on one side of the building. On the other would be a series of dorms. There would be four occupants to a dorm, with bathroom facilities for each dorm to accommodate all occupants. This was to provide housing for those who were, for one reason or another, homeless for the moment. They would be able to live there as long as they needed, rent-free. Tom had also discussed providing the artists with employment of some sort, until their actual careers got off the ground.

Harrison had brought up the point that, if they were to bring computers into the wizarding world, they would need to educate some people on how to program and repair them. To that end, Lucius dedicated another empty building to be converted into an IT technical school. As well, there was to be two trade schools to be built, focusing on those careers that didn't need a degree to obtain.

"For what?" the raven replied with a small smile.

"For being forgiving enough to include us in your plans," Morag said. "For being willing to trust us enough to help you change our world for the better. For talking your father into giving our fathers a chance to shine."

* * *

Draco's vengeance was committed on Wednesday of that week. He was able to get close enough to the girl to cast a wordless _semper olet_ , giving her a rancid body odor that would never fade, nor would it be covered with perfumes, lotions, or powders. The girl was wearing hats; the first time she left the dorms with her head bare, everyone stared, pointed, hooted, and laughed at her. Many of the students were very aware of what she had done, and were glad to see that she had gotten her just desserts. With the spell, everyone gave her a very wide berth, eyes watering at the unbelievable stench that arose from her.

"Quite effective, love," Harrison murmured in his fiancé's ear.

"Yeah," the blond replied with a shiver. "Let's just hope she'll learn her lesson."

* * *

This is the translation of the menu, in order:

Linguine, sabodet sausage, mushrooms, and ginger

shrimps, ravioli, broth, tamarind condiment

fish of the day: all flavors of cabbage, ginger-yuzokosho jus

veal, confit shank, bigarrade orange condiment

autumn fruits, chestnut, bergamot cream

white chocolate-wasabi ice cream, pear-passion fruit

 _Semper olet_ is Latin for 'stink forever'.


	42. Chapter 42

**Forty-second**

"I'm glad you could meet with us," Victor Ammon murmured quietly. He and Anberlin Amarth had just come back from scouting out the various uninhabited areas around the world, and were very excited to relay the news. Both men had been, just a few months earlier, in the seediest bar in Knockturn Alley, lamenting their fates. They had been unemployed ever since Fudge had taken office, the restrictions on Dark Arts and Dark magicals so tight that they, and many of their friends and family, had found themselves without any sort of income. They had subsisted on the remnants of their inheritances, but the money was quickly drying up. Then a miracle happened. Lucius Malfoy became Minister of Magic and repealed all the restrictions on the Dark, freeing a lot of people up to be able to regain their rightful place within the wizarding world. He had even posted a bulletin in the _Quibbler_ , asking for journeymen and skilled labor of all types. Victor and Anberlin talked it over, reasoning that they had absolutely nothing to lose. So they approached the Ministry and applied for an appointment. Days later, they were part of the planning commission, tasked with exploring the uninhabited areas in the world, to see if they would be suitable for wizarding communities and settlements.

"You've brought good news, I hope," Lucius murmured, glad that he could finally do something for the Dark wizards and witches who had been shunted aside by the so-called _Light's_ agenda. It was his hope that the Light magicals would see the benefits that the Dark magicals provided, and finally accept them as a valued and valuable part of society. Lucius' own efforts helped greatly in easing the enmity between the factions, and Tom Riddle's open and honest confessions about his life before he had adopted Harrison showed others that the Dark was, indeed, human after all.

"We have," Anberlin said gleefully. He pulled several pieces of parchment from a satchel hung around his neck and handed them to Lucius to look over. Blonde eyebrows skated into his hairline at the sheer _volume_ of information handed to him. "Several of these areas have defunct military operations on them," Anberlin continued. "Apparently, the magic that was steeped within the earth there threw all of their electronics out of whack. They chalked it up to excessive magnetic currents, which is a boon for us. They are still under their specific countries' purviews, and we will have to work fast and loose to make them 'disappear' from the muggles' minds."

"Excellent," Lucius purred with a smile. "I shall have the Unspeakables work on some spells to make the memory modifications permanent. Very well done, gentlemen. You do your community proud. Now, let us take a look at some of these listings, and perhaps set up some expeditions to scout out the terrain, weather patterns, and possible hazards."

"I believe the Pitcairn Islands would be the best choice for the people of magical Great Britain," Victor said, pointing to the listing at the top of the page. "The islands had been claimed by our muggle Monarchy a couple of centuries ago, so they already belong to the realm. There are four islands, and only sixty-eight muggle residents."

"That might be a problem," Lucius murmured thoughtfully. "We will need to transplant the muggles in some way without compromising ourselves in the process."

"I'm sure that Tom could come up with a method to evacuate them," Anberlin said with a grin. "After all, most of the populace emigrated to New Zealand; it wouldn't be much of a stretch to 'convince' the others to leave. We observed them for a while, under a disillusionment charm, and we found that they're a bit sickly. They seem to complain of headaches and ringing in the ears. The lone physician on the island of Pitcairn chalks it up to the magnetic currents that control the tides. We've felt the magic in the soil and the air, and know it wouldn't be too difficult to make them see that staying any longer would be hazardous to their health."

"It is, however, a protected bird sanctuary," Ammon contributed quietly. "There are a fair few species of bird that are nearing extinction. As well, there's a lone Galapagos tortoise, the only survivor of five that were introduced to the islands between 1937 and 1951. He's being watched over by the local government, as well as the British Wildlife Conservatory. There are also many areas that support farming, as well as an abundance of differing fruit trees. It's always warm and sunny, which makes it ideal for those who have issues relating to the rather drab seasons here in Great Britain."

"Excellent job, gentlemen," Lucius praised. "I'll get this to Tom tonight, and have him look over it. I would also like you to jot down some names of friends and people with whom you are acquainted for possible positions. We'll need to set up several expeditions, and get started on scouting out these territories as soon as possible. As well, Tom will get into contact with the various magical governments all over the world, and convince them of the benefits of absorbing these uninhabited spaces for all magical people."

* * *

"I am very happy today to turn my class time over to a pair of house elves, who have been invited to explain their histories, as well as their ancestry. Dobby? Sandie?" Lupin said, smiling as the pair popped into the classroom. The Slytherin fourth years had already seen both elves about their common room, and were accustomed to how they appeared and acted. The Ravenclaws, however, were stunned at the put-together look of what, typically, amounted to servants. They remembered that their own house elves usually made clothing from whatever was at hand. It was only recently that their parents had informed them that they'd procured uniforms for their elves. They grinned at the adorable pair, eyes wide and excited at the information they were about to receive.

"I is being Sandie," the little elf in the green velvet dress said, "and he is being Dobby." The elf in the formal suit bowed his head, a wide grin on his face. "We is being descended from the High elves." Remus conjured both little beings chairs, which they took with a smile of thanks. "About fourteen centuries ago, we is all being related to the Royal family of High elves," she continued, once she had sat down. "At first, many of us is being asked by the human wizards to being serving and helping them. We was being happy to, so some of us is being bonding ourselves to those families. Eventually, the human wizards is being taking advantage of us, and is being punishing us, or is being making us punish ourselves. The Royal family is being seeing this, and is being wanting to break the bonds between the elves and the wizards. They is being wanting to move us away; to being finding us a better place to being living."

"A lot of us is being sad and angry," Dobby took up the lesson, smiling fondly at all the eager little children, hanging on their every word. "We is being liking the wizards, and is being happy to being useful to them. The Royal family is being very angry with us for being wanting to being staying, and they is being cursing us as punishment for being betraying our 'kind'. They is being making it so that we is not being able to grow much past how big we is being now. They is also being doing a ritual that is being taking away some of our magic. Through the years, we is being serving the wizards, and is being supported by the ambient magic that you is being giving off. It is being helping us to being sustaining our lives."

"We is being having our own language at one time," Sandie finished. "But because we is being with the human wizards for such a long time, we is being forgetting most of it. House elves was being plentiful at one time, but when some of the human wizards is being seeing how devoted we is being to them, and how obedient, they is being treating us like _things_. Since Dobby's master Draco's father is being changing the laws being dealing with house elves, the other wizards is being nicer and better. Maybe someday they is being allowing us to mate again, so that we is being carrying on our family histories, magics, and love for our human wizard families."

Morag raised her hand and waited for the professor to give her permission to ask her question. "If giving clothing to a house elf frees it, how is it that you and Dobby wear clothes?"

"Lord master is being gifting me to my master Harrison, so I is being his house elf. At Yule time two years ago, Lord master is being giving me a dress. He is being scaring me very much. I is being thinking he is being freeing me. Master Harrison is being explaining that, because I is being belonging to him, that only he is being able to free me. It's the same with Dobby."

"How has your life changed since being bonded with Draco?" Greg asked Dobby.

"Master Draco is being treating me very well," the elf replied with a wide grin. "When the nasty headmaster is being banishing me from the castle two years ago, he is being poisoning my master, since I isn't being there to protect him. My magic is being angry with me, and is being punishing me. When I is being brought back to my master, he is being telling me that I is being a very good elf and is being taking very good care of him. He is being treating me like one of the family."

"You _are_ one of the family," Draco replied vehemently, surprising many in the class, who had assumed that he would treat his elf the same way his father used to.

"What does the bond between you and your master feel like?" Roger Davies asked. "Does it have any sort of special abilities?"

"My bond with my master is being feeling like family," Sandie replied with a fond smile for her charge. Harrison nodded to the little elf and winked at her, making her giggle. "We is being very close and very protective of each other. When my master is being in danger, I is being right there to help him out. If I is not being able to get to him in time, I is being informing his mate and his fathers to the danger. I is also being able to punish those who is being hurting him." The glare the little elf gave the class made them shudder, fearing the reprisals that this little being would undertake on behalf of her charge.

"My bond with master Draco is being the same," Dobby told the class. "He is being making me feel like I is being one of the most important beings in his life. He is being making me feel loved and welcome, and I is being doing all I can to being taking care of him as he should being taken care of."

"How did the bonds get so strong between you?" Pansy asked curiously. She really liked the way that the elves spoke about their connections, and wanted one for herself.

"Our masters is being loving us," Sandie replied simply. "The magic is being doing the rest."

* * *

"Sandie?" Harrison called softly. They were at the Keep for the weekend, with Draco curled into Harrison's side as they sat on a two-seated sofa in the game room. The little elf popped in, eyebrow quirked in question. "Do you have a mate in mind?" the raven asked, smirking at the blush that suffused his elf's face.

"Yes," she replied hesitantly, her little heart beating in anticipation.

"Who is it, if you don't mind my asking."

"It…it is being Dobby," she answered softly, eyes flicking to Draco apprehensively. The blond just smiled widely and nodded his permission.

"Would the two of you like to get together now, or do you want to wait until Draco and I are bonded?"

"We is being happy to being waiting until you and your mate is being bonded," she said with an excited squeak in her voice. "We is being learning about each other now. We is being wanting to being your elves when you is being living in your own home."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Sandie," Harrison said with a wide smile. "We want the both of you to come with us after we're bonded. We will be more than happy to have your bouncy little babies surrounding us. They can grow with our own children, and bond with them when they're old enough."

"We is being proud to being having your children being bonded with our offspring."

* * *

Where is Smith?" Brown barked loudly, looking around at his people. He'd noticed that one of his staunchest supporters was missing, as well as several others. "For that matter, where are MacDougal, Davies, Abbott, and MacMillan?"

"We…we don't know," Cameron Richardson answered hesitantly. Tom's spies stood at the back of the room, smirking inwardly at the destruction of the pureblood revolution. "We haven't seen them for several days." _I have a pretty good idea that they'd bailed, going to Riddle and offering their services_ , Richardson thought to himself. _I'm actually considering that idea, myself._ Richardson didn't know it, but William Stretton's thoughts were following a similar path. Both men had spoken of the changes made to their world, as well as the open acceptance of the Dark wizards and witches, as well as the increasing opportunities for prosperity. They had also discussed joining the 'other side', hoping that their involvement in the plans to hurt Riddle's son and mate wouldn't prevent them from reaping the benefits of their new world.

"What do you mean _you don't know_? Did they leave? Are they doing reconnaissance? Are they making plans? What are they doing?"

"They haven't been seen for the last week," Josephine Blishwick murmured softly. "We've not received an owl or any other notification of where they are or what they're doing."

" _Find_ them," Buster growled lowly, scowling angrily at the others. "Smith is vitally important to our goals. He has the contacts as well as the money to help fund our revolution."

"We'll do our best," Amernius Greengrass agreed from the back of the room, struggling to keep the amusement from his voice.

* * *

"Congratulations, Tom," Lucius murmured as he entered the Keep. "You'll be happy to know that Narcissa is pregnant with your first child."

"Already?" Riddle queried nervously. "We've only just started the insemination process."

"Yes, already," Malfoy responded with amusement lacing his voice. "I cannot stay long; I've only come to drop off some papers from the explorations so far. I need to get back and meet with some others, to get more in-depth expeditions going. The men were kind enough to separate the potential areas by continent and location."

"Very good, Lucius," Tom mumbled distractedly as he looked through the parchments in his hands. "Thank you, old friend, for being there to support me in my endeavors, and for the gift of your wife's uterus."

"Narcissa and I are honored to help both you and Severus continue your family lines," the blond replied as he strode to the floo. Once he was gone, Tom returned to his den, where Harrison, Severus, the twins, Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, and Draco were ensconced.

"Narcissa is pregnant," Tom said as he strode through the door. The silence was absolute for a few moments before bedlam broke loose as everyone congratulated Tom and Severus on the happy news. Smiling, Tom finally reached his desk and sat down to discuss the information in his hands. "I have some information about various uninhabited areas in the world to collect for our people," he continued. "Each area is listed under a specific continent, and many are controlled by different countries. I will need to get in touch with the magical communities in these countries and see if I can _persuade_ them to see the benefits of claiming these areas as ours. If we are to be able to provide the adequate amount of living space for the influx of muggleborns, we'll have to expand outwards."

"How will we know if any of these areas are suitable enough, or hospitable enough to support our magical communities?" Dean asked curiously.

"Lucius has gathered together some people who had been unemployed in Knockturn Alley for the initial investigation. He'd created a planning commission for the Ministry, and it's under their purview that the explorations have taken place. He is now in the process of adding more people to the expeditions, so that we can get a more detailed accounting of the areas in question."

"The research facility in Haguenau is complete," Severus said into the contemplative silence. "As well, I've received a plethora of biological samples and research materials from my contacts in the muggle world. As soon as possible, I will go to the facility and set up one of the labs for the research into these diseases and infirmities that the muggles seem to be unable to cure."

"I've received a message from two more of Brown's compatriots, wishing to take a meeting with me," Tom said after sending a fond, proud smile to his mate, making the dour man blush lightly. "They told me that Brown has noticed the absence of some of his underlings, and is very angry. They seem willing to try and give the new world a chance."

"It seems that the pureblood revolution may be ending without any interference from us, after all," Harrison pondered with a grin. "The only holdout I see is Brown, and maybe that Burke fellow."

"Burke will be easy to fix," Riddle growled. "After all, I was employed by the man just after graduating Hogwarts. It would be nothing for me to _absorb_ his business and _evict_ him."

"Good," Draco grumbled, wrapping his arms around his fiancé. Harrison snuggled into his betrothed happily. "Where's Sirius and Remus?"

"They're out on dates with their current paramours," the Dark Lord replied absently, eyes scanning the papers in front of him. "They seem to be quite happy."

"That's great," Harrison said. "I'm glad that they could move on from the pain of their breakup and into relationships that will do them a world of good. They deserve to be loved."


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N:** The beginning of this chapter was inspired by a few very good questions, submitted to me in a review by thephoenixandthedragon4ever. Thank you for the idea, and once again, I am grateful to my reviewers for keeping me going.

* * *

 **Forty-third**

"Hey, Dad?" Harrison said as he stepped into the Potions Master's personal rooms, followed by Draco and Neville.

"Yes, son?" Severus replied with a wide smile.

"I'm glad that you've started expanding our family, but I have a couple of questions." At the older man's encouraging nod, the raven continued. "Since aunt Narcissa is carrying the child, does that mean it will be of Black blood? Which one of you contributed the sperm to fertilize the egg? If only one of you contributed DNA to the child, does that mean that the other one isn't really the father?"

"Have a seat," Snape bade the children, going to fetch some pumpkin juice for the teens. "Those are all very good questions," he continued as he sat down. "First of all, yes, the child will have Black blood. It's unavoidable when using surrogates. He or she will also have some of the Black genes as well as a few characteristics. As for the parentage, the child will be biologically mine and Tom's, since the both of us had contributed DNA, as well as magic, to the egg. Narcissa will, of course, be the godmother, and Lucius the godfather. This way, our child will have a strong maternal influence in his or her life, and Narcissa and Lucius will be able to share in the rearing of the baby. We don't want to exclude anyone in our family from having contact with our child; you all are very important to us, and will be so to our child, as well."

"That's good," Draco murmured with a smile. "I'm actually looking forward to being an uncle."

"Actually, Draco, you would be another older brother," Harrison replied, grinning. "After all, you'll become a part of the Riddle family once we turn seventeen."

"Awesome," the blond chirped happily. "I've always wanted to be a big brother. Lyra was unexpected; my parents thought their firstborn would be a boy, to become heir to the Malfoy dynasty. When it turned out that she had special needs, Mum was afraid to have any more, thinking that she had somehow done something to cause my sister's disabilities. Father was able to talk her into trying again, because he was set on having an heir to carry on the Malfoy name. After I was born, they didn't want to chance having any more. Both my sister's and my birth were very hard on Mother; she was very weak and frail after each one of us, so Father decided to stop at the two of us."

"How is your sister doing?" Severus asked softly.

"She's wonderful," the little blond answered. "Father called in a specialist, and it was discovered that she's dyslexic. She had trouble reading and concentrating, so the 'home' she was shipped off to neglected to teach her anything. They labeled her mentally deficient and left her to rot in her own waste."

"What happened to the caretakers?" Harrison queried gently, pulling his fiancé into his arms and hugging him tightly to soothe the anger and pain.

"They're in Azkaban," came the muffled reply as Draco snuggled into his boyfriend, relishing the comfort being offered. "When the other parents found out _exactly_ how the money that they'd paid for the care of their children was _really_ being spent, they went after the owners and caretakers with the full force of the law."

"That's good," the raven said softly. "If aunt Narcissa was so frail after the birth of you and your sister, then why is she willing to have Father and Dad's child?"

"She is grateful to your father, and your dad for changing the path that I had taken," came the answer from the floo as Lucius stepped through. "Because of your dad's friendship, and the way that your father had changed the wizarding world, she saw this opportunity as a way to express her gratitude for the wonderful life you all have given us. She is being closely monitored by a specialist Healer, and your father has shored up her health by contributing a bit of his magic to her core. She will be fine."

* * *

"Where the hell _is_ everybody?" Buster Brown barked incredulously. He looked at Urquart, Stretton, Richardson and Blishwick with narrowed eyes. The Dark Lord's spies stood along the back of the room, watching everything carefully.

"We…we don't know," Cameron Richardson answered softly. "They seem to have _disappeared_. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that they skipped the country."

"We're hemorrhaging followers like crazy," Josephine Blishwick said into the stunned silence. "Seems to me that none of those who joined at the beginning have the stomach for the hard choices."

"You could be right," Brown murmured thoughtfully. "None of them really faced any hardships. They're all _soft_ , resting on their families' bloodlines and inheritances." He looked at the Death Eaters in the back for a moment, considering. "Rodolphus." The man bowed his head and approached the other man slowly, Slytherin mask firmly in place. "Are there any more of your compatriots that wish to have the Dark Lord returned to us as he was?"

"Perhaps," Lestrange said, heart beating wildly at the thought of being able to take the organization down from the _inside_. "Allow me to meet with some of them, and get a feel for which ones would be willing to join. I should have more information for you at the next meeting."

* * *

"Hello, Tom," came a voice at his classroom door. It was the end of the day, and Riddle was bent over his desk, grading the third year essays. He looked up in surprise, eyes widening in pleasure as he spied both Lestranges, as well as Parkinson, standing at the open door.

"Gentlemen," he said happily, smiling and rising from behind his desk. "Follow me." He led them to the back of the classroom, where the door to his personal quarters was located. He entered and stepped aside, allowing the men to cross the threshold.

"Rudo! Rab! Limus!" chirped a cheerful voice from the sofa. The raven leapt up and darted forward, wrapping each man in a warm hug, thrilled when they hugged back just as hard. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he pulled back from Parkinson's embrace.

"We've come with news of the pureblood revolution, Harrison," Limus answered with a smile, ruffling the young Lord's hair fondly.

"Come in," Harrison told them, leading the way to the conversation pit. Draco and Neville were already there, playing wizard's chess. Everyone took a seat, and brandy was handed out. Moments later, Severus swept through the door, ebon eyes widening fractionally at the company. He accepted his snifter gratefully, taking a fortifying sip as he sat next to his son on a two-seated sofa.

"What news have you?" Tom asked as he perched on the arm of the sofa next to Harrison, wrapping an arm around his son.

"First, we would like to thank you for giving the five who left the revolution a chance to prove themselves," Rodolphus said. "They were good friends, and I'm glad to see that they're finally thinking."

"It was no trouble," Tom replied. "They were willing to apologize and offer their skills to the reshaping of our world. We were more than happy to accept them into the organization."

"Unfortunately," Rabastan picked up the conversation, " their absence was noticed. Blishwick presumed that the men had fled the country, so you might want to warn them, so that they can keep out of sight until things are settled once and for all."

"It will be done," Severus intoned gravely.

"So, Brown asked Rodolphus if he knew of any other Death Eaters that wanted to put you back the way you were," Limus contributed. "Of course, Rudo said he'd look into it. It would be the perfect master stroke to put several of our own into place, and take the organization apart from the inside. We will also be able to keep Brown and the other four from getting their hands on Harrison or Draco again."

"That's…actually…a brilliant idea," Tom breathed, crimson eyes wide with glee. "I can think of several who wished to help out with this. I'll send notice to Dolohov, Rookwood, Macnair, Yaxley, Selwyn, Travers and Wilkes. I'll have them meet us at the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade this weekend."

"Bella would like to help," Rodolphus murmured softly. "She is very excited about the changes to our world, and she wants to ensure that nothing interfere with that."

"She's pregnant," Harrison said. "Won't that interfere with her ability to help? I don't want to see her hurt, or see her lose the baby after being ill for so long."

"Not at all," Rudo answered, grateful for the worried tone in the young Lord's voice. "She's offered her services as spy. She's thinking that she'll be able to infiltrate under the guise that, since she's Narcissa's sister, and is welcome to Malfoy Manor at any time, she could effectively 'spy' on 'Lord Voldemort' and ferret out his plans for he and his family."

"Excellent idea, Rodolphus," Severus chimed in, hugging his son to him excitedly. "Bella is, by far, one of the craftiest people I've ever met. She should have no problem tricking that imbecile."

"How are things going with you, uncle Rudo?" Draco asked from the other side of the room. "Are you happy?"

"Very much so, little nephew. Thank you for asking. The Mind Healer did my Bella worlds of good in helping her to release the blocks from her magical core, and getting her to talk about her treatment under Druella's cruel hands. It seems that the woman was set on having a boy to carry on the Black family name, but when she had girls, she was infuriated. Bella, being the last chance for Druella to have a boy, was a bitter disappointment, so the woman took out her rage and frustration on the youngest Black daughter. Narcissa and Andromeda intervened when they could, but nothing could stem the insane rage that Druella felt for the lack of an heir. It was rather painful to listen to her talk about all of the torture to which she had been submitted, knowing that I could do nothing to help or protect her."

"I never knew that about aunt Bella," Draco responded as he walked up to his uncle. "I'm very glad that she's better now." He crawled into Rodolphus' lap and hugged the man tightly, comforting him and easing the lingering anguish the man felt at his impotent helplessness in the face of his beloved wife's childhood pain.

* * *

"Gentlemen," Brown whispered, awed. "You have done yourselves and this organization a great service in procuring men committed to our noble cause." His eyes narrowed as he saw the very obviously pregnant woman in their midst. "However, I don't think that it's suitable to have a woman who is obviously incapacitated as part of the group."

"This is my wife, Bellatrix Lestrange," Rodolphus introduced. "She is the sister of Narcissa Malfoy, and has a very unique position. She is welcome in their home any time she wishes, and would make a very valuable spy. She could get us all the information we need on the Dark Lord's plans and movements, and give us opportunities to get rid of the distractions."

"That's _brilliant_ ," Joseph Urquart breathed, eyes wide. "She has the absolutely _perfect_ position. This way, we won't be thwarted again in our missions."

"Agreed," Josephine Blishwick concurred, eyeing the other woman speculatively. "However, we must be sure that she will be able to pull off the deception successfully. We cannot have the Malfoy matriarch become suspicious of her in any way."

"A test, then, if you will," Cameron Richardson said into the thoughtful silence. "We send her back to Malfoy Manor to get the Dark Lord's movements for a weekend in the near future. If, indeed, he does as she says, then we have our spy. If he _doesn't_ , then we have a hostage with which to bargain a _trade_."

"Capitol idea," William Stretton contributed to the conversation. "We will put a listening charm on her, as well, so that we can be privy to the conversation. If it turns out that she's a spy for _them_ , then we will utilize the hostage idea."

"It's settled, then," Brown said firmly. "We will accept you, Bellatrix Lestrange, on the condition that you can prove that you're loyal to the Dark Lord of old. Prove this to us, and you will be handsomely rewarded, once he is returned to his right mind."

* * *

"Tom," Bella said to the man as he sat at his desk in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Class had just let out, and he was relaxing for a moment before the next batch of horrors descended upon him. He looked up sharply, ruby eyes widening in surprise at the sight of his most faithful, back in the day, standing in the threshold.

"Bella! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I've come to impart a bit of news, then I must be going," the woman answered softly. Tom waved her into the room as he rose to help her to a chair. She smiled gratefully at him before continuing. "I am to be the spy that the pureblood revolution wants in Malfoy Manor, but I am to be tested first. I am to get your plans for next weekend, and impart them to Brown. If you do as I have stated, I will be accepted. If, however, you _don't_ , they will take me hostage and use me to bargain a trade.

"I have a listening charm in place on my person, that will record our conversation, to make sure that I'm not pulling some sort of trick. Right now, it's disabled. Rabastan disabled it briefly for this meeting, which is why I cannot stay long. He's waiting in the entryway for my return, so that he can reactivate it."

"Thank you for telling me of this, Bella," the Dark Lord murmured with a smile. "Now, you'd best get back as soon as possible. Don't want that stupid man to get suspicious. If he asks about the silence, just tell him that you were visiting your nephew in Hogwarts, and all of the ambient magic within her walls ran some sort of interference."

* * *

" _Hello, Tom, Narcissa, Lucius, Draco," Bellatrix said as she greeted her family. "How are things going for you?"_

" _We are well, Bella," Narcissa replied with a nod and a wink._ _"What brings you here today?"_

" _I'm here to discuss some plans with Tom, if you don't mind."_

" _Of course, Bella," Tom replied, gesturing toward the salon._ At the decrepit manor in Little Hangleton, Brown and the others listened, eyes glittering maliciously. _"Now, what may I do for you?"_

" _I was wondering if there was some way that you could possibly talk Lucius into giving Rudo a position in the Ministry."_

" _Is the book shop not faring well?" Tom asked with the right note of concern in his voice. Bella grinned at him, proud of his ability to act so well._

" _It's not that. I'd just like him to not be so much under foot. I have some ideas and plans for the shop, and I can't implement them if he's always there."_

" _I see. Well, I can arrange to have lunch with Lucius this Saturday at that new restaurant in Knockturn Alley, and we can discuss it then. What position would you like for him?"_

" _I always thought he'd make a fine Hit Wizard," she replied coquettishly, fighting to hold in her laughter._

" _I'll see what I can do."  
_

* * *

" _He's coming!"_ Stretton hissed to his compatriots. They were all seated in a secluded corner, under notice-me-not charms, and they all sat up and watched carefully as Tom Riddle and Lucius Malfoy entered the restaurant. A mâitre d' met them at the door, guiding them to a table by a bank of tall windows. Brown surreptitiously cast an eavesdropping spell, to listen in on the conversation.

"This is a lovely place," Lucius said as he looked around appreciatively. The space was wide open, painted in various shades of white and off-white, giving the room an airy feel. Planters dotted the walls at various places, providing a splash of color as the wide varieties of lilies and irises bloomed. Three of the walls were floor to ceiling windows, providing the patrons with an uninterrupted view of Knockturn Alley and all of the beautification that had occurred to date. Wizards and witches from all walks of life, as well as all magical affinities, came to the restaurant to partake of their gracious fare and scenery.

"Yes," Tom agreed with a small smile. "Harrison and his friends have truly made a remarkable change to Knockturn. It's becoming the entertainment hub of the British magical world."

"I daresay that we'll soon be giving Paris a run for its money," Lucius added with laughter in his voice. They quieted as the wait staff attended to their needs, bringing them complimentary champagne and their food in a timely manner. The men sampled the dishes for a moment, humming their approval, before they finally got down to brass tacks. "What did you wish to talk about, Tom?"

"Bella came to me, requesting that I speak with you, to see if you could possibly give Rodolphus a position in the Ministry. She has some plans for her book store, but won't be able to implement them until he's out from under foot."

"Ah," the blond said on a chuckle. "Did she state which position she would like him to have?"

"She thought he'd make quite a suitable Hit Wizard, as a matter of fact," Tom told Malfoy smugly. "I must say that I agree with her. He understands when violence would be necessary, and isn't afraid to use it."

"Very well," the Minister replied after a short, deliberating silence. "I will see if I can squeeze him in there. Now, how is Harrison doing with his studies?"

* * *

"You have proven yourself dedicated to our noble cause, and are most welcome, Lady Lestrange," Buster told the woman with a bow of his head. "You will be the perfect mongoose in the snake's den."

"Thank you, Lord Brown," the woman murmured, hiding the smirk by bowing her head. "I shall endeavor to serve to the best of my abilities." _Jackpot!_ she thought. _Now I can protect Tom, his husband and the little Lord better than anyone else._


	44. Chapter 44

**Forty-fourth**

"I love Hogwarts, but it's good to be home," Harrison sighed happily. The kids were home for the weekend, and had absolutely nothing planned.

"If you and Draco would join Severus and I in the den, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Tom told his son, ruffling the teen's hair fondly.

"Sure thing, Father," the raven replied as he and Draco trooped after his parents. Once they reached their destination, they all picked comfortable seats and got settled.

"I was thinking that I'd like to take you boys, and Neville as well, to Africa for a safari during your summer break," was not what the teen had expected, and his mouth hung open in shock. Draco's eyes had widened to hilarious dimensions, leaving Severus and Tom to chuckle at their faces.

"S-seriously?" Harrison asked, voice squeaking.

"Yes, seriously," Severus concurred with a grin. "Tom and I would like to spend some quality time together, and we thought, since you _do_ have a vacation home in Kenya, that we'd make it a combination vacation/honeymoon/potions ingredient cultivation expedition."

"Can we ask Nev's parents to come along?" Harrison queried softly. "Since they've only recently been awakened, they might appreciate a chance to reconnect again, and I'm sure that Mrs. Longbottom would love to explore with us, so that she can learn more about the business."

"That's a really good idea, son," Severus beamed at the raven, eliciting a dopey, happy smile in return.

"Indeed," Tom agreed cheerfully. "In fact, I'll even spring for a reservation at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club at the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It won't be too far from where your home is; it'll be close enough to apparate. We'll be leaving the day after your summer break begins, and return the day before you need to go back to Hogwarts for your fifth year. We can pick up your school supplies then. Inform Neville of the plans when you return to school on Monday, so that he can make arrangements with his parents."

* * *

"Hey, Nev," Harrison chirped in the Great Hall that Monday morning. "Father has made some plans, so we'll meet in the RoR after lunch to discuss them."

"Sure thing, Harrison," the brunet agreed happily.

The teens proceeded to their tables for breakfast; Lavender still hadn't recovered her hair, or lost the abhorrent smell that still wafted from her every time she moved, so she found herself isolated in the corner of the Hall, at a table transfigured just for her use. McGonagall was upset and angered at first; once she found out about Lavender's role in the attack against Harrison, though, she understood, and allowed the punishment to continue, much to the chagrin of the Gryffindor girl. "How long are you going to continue to punish her, Draco?" the raven asked quietly. The blond turned his head and looked at his boyfriend blandly.

"Until she learns her place," Draco replied equally softly. "I see her glaring at you when she thinks no one is looking, and she's been spreading the rumors that you had done that to her because she dared to flirt with you. If she doesn't stop, I'll make sure it remains _permanently._ I know that the spell is supposed to make her stink forever, but I also know the counter. If she wants to be a part of things again, she'll _quit_." Harrison made a moue of disgust at the very _thought_ of the wretched girl flirting with him, shuddering dramatically. "Exactly," Malfoy snapped angrily. "The fact that others _believe_ her, in spite of the fact that we are wearing _promise rings_ , for Merlin's sake, makes it imperative that, until she learn to control her tongue, she will continue to alienate those who actually know better."

"It doesn't help that Ron is also spreading rumors," Neville contributed softly. "The twins have told me that he's taken up her cause, even going so far as to petition the _Minister_ for help. Does he not realize that your father is now the leader of the British magical world, Draco?"

"I don't think so," the blond murmured, eyes narrowed. "If he's been told, he's being deliberately obtuse about it. It could be that, if my father does nothing about her punishment, Weasel can start some sort of dissention at school, and encourage others to write to their parents to approach the Wizengamot to vote my father out."

"That's something that hadn't occurred to me," Harrison said softly, eyes hard. "Lucius _earned_ that position, and he's doing a wonderful job of changing our world for the better."

"Don't worry about it, Harrison," Fred said as the twins approached their table. "We have plans to nip that rebellion in the bud before it even gets _started_."

* * *

"What's up?" Neville asked as soon as they entered the RoR and settled into comfortable seats. Luna had accompanied them, more than happy to celebrate her boyfriend's upcoming trip. Draco had narrowed his eyes at her secretive smile, still a little leery around her uncanny ability to just _know_ things.

"Father and Dad are taking us on an expedition to Africa, to do some exploring and potions ingredient gathering," the raven began with a wide smile. "Of course you're coming along, and we'd also like to invite your parents. Father has made arrangements with an exclusive safari resort, where they will be able to reconnect more properly, after being apart for so long. As well, it will give your mother the opportunity to explore with us, and learn more about your company."

"Th-that's _wonderful_ , Harrison!" the brunet gushed happily. "I'm positive that my parents' invitations were at the behest of _you_ , so thank you for thinking of them. Will we be staying there, too?"

"No," Draco answered. "Harrison has a large vacation home near the resort where we'll be staying. It's just a short apparition away."

"Can Luna come?" Neville asked curiously.

"Actually, we've arranged for her father and she to go to that wildlife sanctuary where we sent the basilisk," Harrison replied, looking at the little blonde with a smile. "It has a great many exceedingly rare creatures there, many of which Luna is already aware. Father has created some amulets that will allow you and your father to communicate with the creatures. I want you to write a book, Luna. I want your father to take pictures, and I intend to publish it as a textbook companion to the CoMC curriculum. I want to prove to the wizarding world, and especially this school, that those creatures of which you speak so fondly do, in all actuality, exist." Neville looked at his girlfriend, who was beaming at everyone.

"Thank you, Harrison, for this wonderful opportunity," she replied with an exuberant giggle. "I'll let Daddy know what we're doing this summer. He's going to be so _thrilled_."

* * *

"Bella!" Tom yelped, startled. "Come in. I'm very happy to see you."

"Thank you, Tom," she replied solemnly. "I'm very glad to say that they've removed that damned eavesdropping charm, so we may talk freely."

"Good," the Dark Lord barked as he led her to a small kitchen. The house elves, having heard the woman's arrival, had begun to prepare a nice repast for the pair as they sat at a small butcher block table. "Now, I'm very glad you're here. Harrison, Draco, Neville, Severus and I are going to Africa after school lets out to explore and gather potions ingredients. Alice and Frank will be joining us, but not staying with us. We will be in one of Harrison's vacation homes, whilst they will be staying in a safari resort."

"That's wonderful, Tom. I know that the two of you never had the chance for a proper honeymoon. It should be a very special time for the both of you."

"Thank you, Bella. I was wondering if, perhaps, you and Rodolphus would like to join us. There will be more than enough room at the home for all of us."

"As tempting as that is, I'll have to take a pass. I'm approaching my due date, and I don't want to be away from my Healer. As well, someone needs to be here to keep an eye on your enemies, and perhaps start to take the organization apart from the inside. Perhaps, after I've had the baby and we've gotten rid of the threat, I'll take you up on a similar offer. Anyway, I have an idea. I was thinking that, in order to keep you safe, I'll just do a little bit of 'misdirection'. You're going to Africa; I'll tell Brown that you've made arrangements to go to Ecuador, in South America. It should be quite amusing to see them scour the magical and muggle areas there, and hopefully they'll make some egregious mistakes, and bring some arse whipping down upon themselves. Karma can truly be a bitch when she wants to be."

"I am honestly glad that you're finally clear-headed," Tom told the woman affectionately. "I've always known how clever and devious you were; it's a real treat to see that craftiness applied more _sensibly_. You had always been one of the best Death Eaters I've ever had, and, should the time come when we can legitimately take over the wizarding world, I would have you as my Minister of Magic."

"Thank you, Tom," Bella replied with a blush and a smile. "I would do you proud. But what about Lucius? Isn't he the Minister?"

"He is, and he's doing an exemplary job. There will come a time, however, when I will need him for other things. When that time comes, you will take his place."

"I'm honored by your trust in me, and I'm looking forward to helping to push our world forward into the future."

* * *

"Mum? Dad?" Neville trumpeted loudly as he walked through Longbottom Manor. He had arrived home for the weekend, and was anxious to talk to his parents about the upcoming expedition.

"We're in here, son," Frank called out. Neville followed the sound of his voice to the sunroom, where his parents and Gran were having brunch. "You're just in time to join us," his father said with a wide smile. Still reeling from the return of his parents, the brunet darted over to the table, snuggling between them, both of which cuddled him enthusiastically, bestowing many kisses to his face and making him blush. A few moments later, Neville loaded a plate with eggs benedict, English muffins, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. "Hungry, son?" Frank queried softly, his arm still wrapped around his child possessively.

"A bit," the boy replied, scarfing down his food so that he could get to the true purpose of his visit. "Tom has been working with a bunch of us in self defense so that, when we have to leave our wands behind to enter the muggle world, we'll still have a way to protect ourselves. It's exhausting, but fun."

"I'm very glad to hear that, darling," Alice said from the other side of Neville as she carded her fingers through his hair lovingly. "The Dark Lord has changed so much since the first war. I'm very pleased for the progress we're making, and I can't wait to get to work at the research facility."

"Speaking of that," the brunet said, swallowing the food in his mouth quickly. "Tom and Severus are taking Harrison, Draco and I on an expedition to Kenya, in Africa. We're going to be exploring and gathering potions ingredients. It's bound to be exciting. Anyway, Tom has offered to put the pair of you up in a safari resort near Harrison's home, so that you can reconnect and recover from the time that you had been trapped within your own minds and away from each other."

"H-he doesn't need to do that," Alice stammered, hand going to her mouth in shock. Her eyes met Frank's over Neville's head, and she saw the longing and pain deep within them. Her own eyes reflected the deep loneliness that she had felt all those years, and she looked away, swiping at a stray tear.

"Codswallop," Augusta barked loudly, startling the hell out of everyone. "You will take his offer and go on vacation with him and his family. You have been apart for too long, and don't know how to reconnect properly. This will give you the time and opportunity to do just that."

"Yeah," their son concurred with a firm nod. "Besides, you'll be coming with us sometimes, mum, so that you can learn a bit more about the lab."

"It's settled, then," Frank spoke up, giving his wife a reassuring smile. "We'll go on vacation with you lot, and use the time wisely." He turned toward Augusta, concerned. "But what about you, mother? We don't want to leave you alone in this big house."

"Nonsense," she poo-pooed him. "I was alone in this big house whilst Neville was in Hogwarts. It won't be much different than that. Besides, I won't be alone for long. I intend to use that time to go to France, and visit with some friends I've lost touch with since your accident."

"I'll talk to Harrison, and see if he has a villa in France that you can stay at," Neville chirped cheerfully.

"Oh, you don't need to do that," the old woman said with a blush and a smile. "I can manage on my own."

"If we have to take the gracious invitation to stay in Kenya worry-free, then _you_ will take the gracious invitation to stay in France worry-free," Alice told the woman in a no-nonsense voice. "After all, we are an important part of their plans. Wouldn't want to offend them, now would we?"

* * *

The following Monday, the boys were sitting together at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, enjoying their breakfast and talking about the trip when the twins subtly signaled them to watch. Fred carefully poured a potion into Ron's pumpkin juice while Seamus distracted the redhead with talk of the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The older twin then settled next to his younger counterpart, winking at Harrison with a small, smug grin on his face. "I wonder what they're up to now?" Draco murmured softly. "I hope it isn't as harmful as the last prank."

"They promised to tone it down," Neville replied with a smile. "I'm sure it won't be _too_ drastic."

"But it should be immensely entertaining," Harrison said with a grin at the twins. The first class was Potions, with the Gryffindors, so Draco and Harrison bid farewell to Neville and went on their way. As they were descending the stairs to the dungeons, Ron came up to them, a belligerent look on his face.

"You belong to _me_ , Potter," he snarled, startling everyone who had surrounded the pair. "I _own_ you. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't _have_ any friends." Reeling from the outrageous statement, the raven didn't have time to respond before the redhead turned to Draco. "I envy your wealth and status, Malfoy. Your father is doing wonderful things for the wizarding world, but it should have been _me_ to make all of those changes and gain the good regard of the wizards and witches. If Potter would have stayed by _my_ side, I could have gotten everything I ever wanted. All the money, prestige, honor, and gratitude as the Boy Who Lived's best mate and protector." Having finished his rant, Weasel stormed off to the potions class, leaving behind minor chaos in his wake.

"That was unexpected," George murmured as he came up to the still stunned pair of teens. "The potion was to make him blurt out exactly what's on his mind, but I never thought he'd felt _that_ way about you guys. I always thought the friendship between the two of you was _honest_ , Harrison. I had no _idea_ how deep his selfish jealousy really went."

"Yeah," Fred concurred, "sorry about that. I know that it must hurt, knowing how he truly felt about you. We didn't mean to upset you with this prank; we were only trying to make him drive away his supporters."

"Since a few of his supporters are here," Fay Dunbar, a fourth year Gryffindor, chimed in, "I think you've succeeded rather spectacularly. He'd been telling us about Potter's…I'm sorry, I meant _Riddle's_ betrayal ever since second year. We thought that the two of you were the best of friends, and that you'd support each other no matter what. When he started spouting off that you'd turned Dark, and with the evidence of you being re-sorted into Slytherin, we took him at his word. After all, he supposedly knew you better than any of us.

"To hear, from his _own_ mouth, that he only saw you as a means to an end really puts into perspective his behavior over the last three years. It was never about _you_ ; it was only about what he could get by being _associated_ with you. On behalf of myself and the other Gryffindors who supported him, I wish to apologize, and assure you that I will be having a talk with the rest of the House about what's _really_ going on."

"Thank you," Harrison murmured with a bowed head.

"We just want to say that you and your lot are doing an excellent job in modernizing the wizarding world, without losing all of the traditions that make us who we are," Parvati added with a small smile. "If I may, I would like to be a writer for the _Quibbler_. I would like to introduce the wizarding world to my own culture; the different traditions and rituals we use, as well as the fashions and food. I'm sure some of the other students of differing cultures would like to contribute, too."

"That's a wonderful idea, Parvati," Draco gushed with a wide smile. "I think we should get the perspective of the magical creatures, as well. Beings like the centaurs, merpeople, veela, werewolves, vampires, and others would bring a depth to the paper that's been missing. With a better understanding of other cultures and beings, maybe we can finally put to rest all of the bigotry and rivalry, and exist as one big community."

"As _thrilling_ as all of this is, you are now ten minutes late for class," intoned a dark voice from behind them, scaring a yelp out of many of the students. They scrambled madly to get to the potions class as Severus' dark laughter followed them. Left alone in the hall with Draco and Harrison, the Potions Master smiled fondly at the boys. "You both make me so _proud_ ," he murmured. "Now hurry to class. You don't want to miss the fireworks."


	45. Chapter 45

**Forty-fifth**

Once everyone had settled into their seats, Severus stalked up the center aisle, glaring at the scant few Gryffindors still on his shit list. He reached the front of the class and intoned, "Since everyone saw fit to dawdle in the hallways, thereby wasting ten valuable minutes of class time, I will now have a verbal pop quiz. The potion you were to work on required the entire class period." Ron had what looked like a scowl on his face, his eyes staring at the Potions Master with a strange glint. Severus had noticed that same glint several times in the past few years, but just chalked it up to indignation. So he zeroed in on the Weasel and asked, "Is there a problem Mr. Weasley?" Snape knew that the answer was bound to be entertaining, due to the prank played on the redheaded idiot that morning. The reply, however, was astonishing.

"I can't help it sir," Ron squeaked, face flushed red. "The sound of your voice does strange things to me. It's so smooth, and sinisterly sexy. It gets me hard every time I hear it." Gasps and titters rang out from the other students; Harrison was biting his fist to keep from braying laughter. Draco had no such compunction; his face was buried in his fiancé's shoulder to muffle the uncontrollable giggles that emanated from the blond. Severus was stunned stupid by the confession, having had absolutely _no idea_ that the youngest Weasley male even _swung_ that way. Clearing his throat to still the students, he opened his mouth, prepared to strip Ron's hide, when a shriek echoed through the dungeon classroom.

"What about _me_ , Ronnikins?" Lavender wailed dramatically, hands clutched together over her developing bosom. "I thought you and I were meant to be, now that Granger is gone."

Ron turned indifferent eyes to Brown, and his words were a final, fitting punishment for the girl. "I only went with you because you're easy. You're Gryffindor's good time girl; everyone knows that. I figured to use you until Hermione was willing to give it up. Frankly, you're too…too… _mousy_ to be seen with me." With a pained gasp, the girl fled the classroom, running all the way back to the tower, where she packed her things and used the emergency portkey to take her home. Back in the classroom, Ron turned back to the professor, blue eyes sharp on the man. "I don't like you; I think you're probably the ugliest man I've ever _seen._ But your voice…I've never thought of a man like that until our first year, and I vigorously fought down the attraction to your voice. I've since learned that I'm bisexual; still doesn't make it any easier. I'm completely disgusted with myself for being attracted to you in the _first_ place."

Seamus, Dean, Draco and Harrison all exchanged looks, their eyes telegraphing their vindictive pleasure at a prank well played. "I am equally disgusted with the idea, Mr. Weasley," Severus intoned lowly. Clearing his throat again, Severus excused Ron, sending him to McGonagall to 'explain' the issue. After he left, the class collapsed into hilarity, laughing for several minutes while Severus tried to get his blush under control. "All right," the Potions Master finally said, "now that the show is over, I'll leave you to study the potion you were to brew today, in preparation for the next class. I suddenly do not feel like giving you an oral exam." Snickers met this pronouncement, and Severus flushed again at the innuendo his words had created. Scowling darkly, he turned and stalked to his desk, sitting behind it and dragging the essays toward him with rough movements.

"Poor Dad," Harrison murmured, amusement lighting his crimson-flecked emerald eyes. "I'm sure he's bound to have nightmares after that rather disgusting revelation."

"Mmm," Draco replied absently, opening his book to the potion in question and reading. "Better him than me."

"Agreed," the raven concurred with a shudder before he, too, bent to his book.

* * *

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" Minerva murmured as the redhead entered the headmistress' office. "How may I help you?"

"Snape sent me here to talk to you," the Weasel responded with an arrogant lilt to his voice. "He seemed upset that I'd told him that his voice makes me hard. I would've thought he'd be _flattered_ , considering how disgusting the rest of him is." Minerva flushed deeply at the teen's crass words, then scowled deeply at the insult to one of the teachers.

"That is quite enough, Mr. Weasley," she snapped angrily. "You are to show respect for _every_ professor here, at _all_ times. Ten points from Gryffindor for your lack of manners."

"Spare me," Ron scoffed loudly, making the portraits behind the woman flinch. "You won't take points from me. I'm a _Gryffindor_ , and it's well-known that both you and the headmaster favor Gryffindors. So give me a pretend punishment, and I'll look angry and downtrodden, just to make it look good. Besides, I _know_ you hate Snape as much as the rest of us; especially with Slytherin winning the Quidditch championship all the time."

"For your blatant disregard for others' feelings, you will have a month's detention with Filch. For your disrespect to both myself and _professor_ Snape, you are hereby banned from Quidditch for the next two seasons."

"Oohhh, those are _good_ 'punishments'," the redhead praised with a smug smirk. "Once everyone hears about them, they'll feel so _sorry_ for me, and I'll finally get the attention I _deserve_ , instead of that backstabbing former friend."

"I will be informing both Argus and your team captain of my decision," the old tabby ground out through gritted teeth. "If I hear of you not serving _either_ punishment, you will be suspended for a month. If you continue to ignore my instructions, you will be summarily _expelled_. Consider this your _only_ warning, Mr. Weasley. Now get out of my office."

* * *

"Hey, Ron," Dean said as the redhead finally came into the Gryffindor common room. Weasley scowled at the dark-skinned boy, startling him for a moment.

"Don't talk to me," the Weasel snarled into Dean's face. "You aren't supposed to be Potter's best friend. _I_ am. I know that you and Seamus are jealous of me; of the hold I had over that scarred freak. It would have lasted until I got into the Auror program, if it hadn't have been for the two of you, going behind my back to worm your way into his good graces. Anything to try to undermine my efforts to get the recognition and praise that I rightly _deserve_."

"We didn't do _anything_ , Ron," Seamus replied, his Irish brogue thicker in his fury. "We offered _Harrison_ our apologies, and our praise for his Da's good work in DADA. All we had to do was be _nice_ , and respect who he _really_ was, instead of listening to you and Granger talk about his 'heroics'. Harrison's brilliant, and kind, and loving to those who _deserve_ it. He has a great capacity for forgiveness, too, if you're _sincere_ about your efforts to apologize for your treatment of him."

"Please," the redhead snapped sarcastically. "Potter's _useless_ unless Hermione or I are constantly with him, making sure he does what he's _supposed_ to. He's not _allowed_ to think and act for himself." The twins had descended from the seventh year dorms, eyes narrowed at the poison that their little brother was spewing all over the common room. Looking around, they saw a lot of the Gryffindors staring at Ron as if he'd grown a second head, their shock only rivaled by the anger that Fred and George could see in others' eyes.

"He had one job, and one job only. To kill the Dark Lord so that the wizarding world can be free. So that Dark witches and wizards could finally be put in their proper places. Once he'd completed that task, he was to be locked away in Azkaban for the murder of another person. Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix were going to make sure of that. Then, Hermione and I would marry and populate the wizarding world with our perfect, intelligent, heroic children, to whom everyone would look for answers, and for rescue, if needed."

"That's…that's a _human being_ you're talking about, Weasley," Vicki Frobisher said softly, voice filled with revulsion.

"No it's not," the redhead snapped, spinning to glare at the interruption. "He was always meant to be a sacrifice and a weapon only. That's why Dumbledore had Hermione and I watching him; to prevent him from getting ideas above his station. Azkaban would have been where he belonged anyway, if he survived the war. His mind would have been twisted up too much from the Dark taint that he'd have gotten from the killing curse that the Dark Lord had thrown at him when he was a baby."

"You're _mad_ ," Fred said softly, staring at his brother in horror. "You're talking about a fourteen year old _boy_. He's not a robot, nor is he a puppet that can be pushed around at your's or Dumbledore's whim. At this point, I'm very, _very_ glad that Dumbledore is locked up for the rest of his life. Just hearing the way you're talking about Harrison makes my stomach burn."

* * *

There was a quiet tap at Severus' private chamber door, and he approached it cautiously. Opening it slowly, he was surprised to see the twins on the other side, looking a little _ill_. Quickly beckoning them in, he had them sit in the chairs on either side of the sofa, offering them a sip of brandy to calm their nerves. Taking the alcohol gratefully, they choked it down, panting harshly and eyes watering at the burn as it went down. It helped to calm their racing hearts, and they looked first at Severus, their eyes wounded, before they looked at Harrison.

"What is it now?" the raven asked softly, not liking the look in his friends' eyes. They winced a little before turning to the teen's dad.

"Do you have a pensieve available?" Fred asked softly. Understanding the look in the twins' eyes, Severus went to his bedchamber and fetched the pensieve that Tom had given him as a wedding present. It was a beautiful ivory bowl, with runes of protection and secrecy carved into its surface. He brought it out and placed it on the table before the couch, nodding his approval as he watched Fred pull a strand of memory from his head and place it into the basin.

"It's all in there," George told them. "I'll warn you right now, it's pretty ugly." Nodding their understanding, Severus, Harrison and Draco plunged into the memories, while Fred and George looked at each other across the trio. "I think we should get Tom," he said softly, watching as Harrison flinched harshly. Fred stood and tossed powder into the floo, sticking his head in.

"DADA classroom," he said softly. No one wanted to leave the room to traverse the hallways; the twins wanted to be there when everyone came out of the pensieve, so that they could support their best friend.

"What is it, Fred?" Tom asked worriedly.

"There was an… _incident_ in the Gryffindor common room. Some rather ugly things were said, and Harrison, Severus, and Draco are watching the memories now. You should come through, so that you can be here for the fallout." Seeing the concern in the older twin's eyes, Tom nodded. Fred backed out of the floo, and moments later, Tom stepped from the firebox in enough time to see Harrison's head rising from the pensieve. The look of devastation on his son's face broke the older man's heart, and he was instantly by his child's side, holding him tightly as racking sobs echoed around Severus' chambers. George immediately rose from his chair, allowing Tom to take it and pull his son into his lap, where he carded his fingers through the boy's hair and murmured softly in his ear.

"I'm going to _kill_ him," Draco said almost conversationally. His silver eyes were burning with an incandescent fury. Severus had wrapped his arm around his godson's shoulders, trying to calm the teen to little effect. The Potions Master, himself, was vibrating with rage; to think that he'd considered Albus a mentor, and to discover that he'd had _this_ planned for his son…His feelings of betrayal were _nothing_ , compared to those of his son, who had thought Weasley was a true friend. To find out that he was only there to keep Harrison _controlled_ must have hurt the teen deeply.

"He was the first friend that I'd ever _had_ ," came a watery voice from the vicinity of Tom's chest. "Before I came to Hogwarts, I wasn't allowed to have friends. Dudley would chase away anyone who tried to talk to me, and he and Petunia and Vernon would lie about me. They told anyone who listened that I was going to St. Brutus' Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys, so everyone avoided me on principle. Ron was the first person my age to reach out to me, who didn't treat me bad. How could I have been so _wrong_ about him?"

"It was your desperation to fit in; to find someone to whom you could relate and get along with that first drew you to Weasley," Severus murmured as he stepped up next to the chair, running a long-fingered hand through his son's hair. Tom had wrapped his arms around the boy tighter, rubbing the teen's back soothingly as Severus spoke. "When you arrived here, and learned how obnoxious he _really_ was, you still clung to him as the only anchor in a strange and wonderful place. Your first year here, however, was fraught with its own perils, what with the search for the stone and Voldemort on the back of Quirrel's head.

My own attitude toward you, as well as the equal parts reverence and scorn from the rest of the school, didn't do much to convince you to give up Weasley. He seemed _normal_ in the face of everything else. I am, once again, very sorry for making your first year here so difficult."

"I didn't help matters much," Draco muttered, eyes sad on his boyfriend. "I had always thought that we were meant to be friends; that you would see me as the perfect companion for you. When you rejected me, that _stung_ , a lot. So, if you couldn't be my friend, you would be my enemy. I can only blame my childish arrogance, and the assurance from my Father that a Malfoy gets whatever he wants, for the horrid way I treated you."

"And then you meet _us_ ," George added softly, "and start to see the Weasley family for what it truly was at the time; vicious bullies who had no regrets about pranking and hurting others, all in the name of 'fun'. We had grown up with the same stories that had filled Ginny's head. The vaunted 'hero'; the 'Savior of the wizarding world'. While we were all laughing and joking, you were fighting desperately to fit in; to be accepted for who you _were_. I think the only _real_ friend you _had_ that first year was Neville."

"It's easy to wear blinders were others are concerned," Tom murmured to his son, who had stopped crying and was listening to the others carefully. "You came here with certain expectations, hoping that it would be different enough from where you'd grown up that you could finally find a place for yourself. When you got here, and saw that everyone treated you with the same regard as the wizards and witches in Diagon Alley, your hopes were dashed, so you clung on to Weasley's friendship even tighter.

"I am glad that we had met at the end of first year, and that we had decided to accept each other before the adoption. I am also very glad that you gave Draco the chance he deserved to show who he really _is_. Once you felt and saw how people who _truly_ loved you were supposed to treat you, you stepped away from that toxic relationship, and haven't looked back."

"You're right, Father," Harrison finally said, looking into his dad's crimson eyes with love. "I think my reaction to the Weasel's words was more out of shame; that I had let myself be so thoroughly hoodwinked by his 'friendship' that I had ignored some of the niggling little doubts. I have something infinitely _deeper_ and more _satisfying_ with all the people in my life right now. That, more than anything, tells me that I made the right decision to distance myself from him. I have the love and support of the best people in the world, right here."

* * *

"How much longer is this prank supposed to last?" Neville murmured as he sat at the Slytherin table for dinner. "He's been spewing all sorts of poison all over the school."

"It shouldn't be much longer," Fred commiserated with everyone. "When we decided on this one, we didn't expect the shitstorm that would follow us all day. As it is, we're deeply ashamed to even call him _family_."

"I sent a letter to Mum a while back, explaining everything that was said by Ron throughout the day," George added softly. "I'm sure that she'll send a howler back any moment." Just as he finished his statement, Errol struggled to stay aloft as he raggedly flapped his wings, aiming for the Gryffindor table. Seeing the recipient, he gave out a hoot of exhaustion before dropping straight down, splash landing in a bowl of brown gravy and splattering it all over. The red envelope had leapt away from the owl just before he landed, and hovered in front of Ron's widening eyes. It trembled violently before it shuddered open, Molly Weasley's scream echoing through the Great Hall.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! HOW _DARE_ YOU SAY THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE SPOUTED TODAY! I KNOW GOOD AND WELL THAT I'VE RAISED YOU _BETTER_ THAN THAT. TO THINK, YOU WERE ONLY FRIENDS WITH THAT KIND, LOVING, WONDERFUL BOY FOR WHAT HE COULD GAIN FOR YOU. I AM ASHAMED TO CALL YOU MY SON, AND AS OF THIS MOMENT, I AM DISOWNING YOU FROM THE PREWITT FAMILY. MY BROTHERS WOULD _NEVER_ HAVE TREATED SOMEONE AS SPECIAL AS HARRISON SALAZAR RIDDLE THE SHAMEFUL, DISGUSTING WAY THAT _YOU_ HAVE. THIS IS YOUR _ONLY_ WARNING; IF I HEAR OF ANYTHING EVEN _REMOTELY_ DISGRACEFUL OR DISGUSTING THAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU WILL BE YANKED FROM HOGWARTS, AND YOUR WAND TURNED INTO THE MINISTRY. DON'T TEST ME, MISTER. YOU WILL NOT LIKE THE RESULTS."

The red envelope exploded in a shower of confetti, leaving stunned students in its wake. Into the silence, a lone voice could be heard. " _Finally_ , someone to take St. Weasel down a peg or two."


	46. Chapter 46

**Forty-sixth**

A pop sounded in the meeting room, and a plaintive _"Daddy?"_ echoed through the chamber. Buster looked, shocked, at his daughter as she burst into tears, barreling into his arms and sobbing hysterically. He surreptitiously cast a scent blocking charm on his nose, to prevent himself from gagging at the unbelievable stench wafting up from his only child and hugged her tightly, murmuring words of comfort as he tried to calm her down.

"What happened baby?" he asked softly. "Where's all of your beautiful hair?"

"Harry Potter's disgusting elf _took_ it," she snarled loudly, tears forgotten in her fury. "It _gloated_ about it, _to my face_. Said something about me taking something important of its, so it took something important of _mine_. _Honestly_ , there's absolutely _nothing_ more important in this world than my _hair_."

"I agree, baby," Brown growled menacingly. "That brat has just made this project more _personal_. I will _sever_ that bond he has with that elf, and I will _torture_ it in front of him just before I _kill_ him. I think that should be suitable justice for all the pain and anguish he's caused you, my precious."

"I have some family diaries that talk about rituals to sever the bonds between house elves and their masters," Blishwick said softly, nose crinkling at the ghastly smell coming from the girl. "I'm sure that we can set up a ritual to sever the bond between that little bastard's elf and himself, and summon it here. We'll have Lestrange give the boy a portkey and set up a torture session with it, before we terminate the child's life."

"That sounds like a _marvelous_ idea," Urquart murmured. Richardson and Stretton were suspiciously absent, having disappeared a few days prior; however, their absence was barely missed with the addition of the Death Eaters. He, too, had to choke back a gag at the horrendous stench drifting from the girl, shuddering at the thought of her clutching onto _him_ that tightly. "We'll set up a ritual room and get started this weekend." Tom's friends at the back of the hall smirked to themselves; they couldn't _wait_ to see how this disaster would turn out.

* * *

"Aunt Bella," Harrison chirped happily as he let the woman into the Keep. "How are you this fine evening?"

"I am very well, little Lord," she replied, caressing the child's face gently and brushing a soft kiss to his cheek. "How are you, loveling?"

"I'm great," the teen said with a blush, still unaccustomed to the freely given affection. "Father is in the salon with Dad, Padfoot, Moony, Uncle Lucius, Aunt Narcissa and Draco. Would you like to join us? We were about to have some tea and scones."

"That would be lovely. I _am_ a bit parched, and I have some information to impart." Turning, Harrison took her hand and walked beside her, chatting amiably as they traversed the halls to the salon and striding through the open double doors. He led her to the thickly padded chair situated beside her sister's and carefully helped her to sit, brushing a kiss to her cheek before he sat next to his fiancé. Everyone welcomed her with smiles and cheerful hellos, serving her tea and nibbles, and they talked for a bit, the sisters catching each other up on their pregnancies before Bella got down to brass tacks.

"The Brown girl portkeyed into the meeting we were having last night, bawling her eyes out." She paused for a moment to turn to her two cherished nephews. "Very well done on the vengeances, boys," she told them with a proud smirk. They grinned widely at the praise. "Your elf is very…creative, Harrison."

"She is," Harrison agreed fondly. "She loves me very much, as I love her. I'm so glad Father gifted her to me the first day he brought me here."

"Brown is going to focus on Harrison, as he sees the attack on his daughter as a personal attack on _him_ ," Bella continued to the room at large.

"Figures," Sirius snapped loudly. Harrison wrapped an arm around his godfather and comforted the man, watching Bella with a small smirk. The woman gave him an answering smirk.

"Of course, we won't allow anything to happen to the little Lord, but the plans they have for him will fall through anyway. Call your elf, Harrison, so that we may speak with her."

"Sandie," the raven called, cuddling his fiancé once Padfoot had calmed down. She popped in with a wide, toothy smile for her master, which the teen answered in spades.

"Sandie," Bella said softly, capturing the elf's attention, "the pureblood revolution intends to punish Harrison's 'attack' on Brown's daughter by performing a ritual to sever your bond with him, then summon you to them and torture you in front of him before killing him. Would this be possible?"

"No mistress, it is not being possible," the little elf replied confidently. Tom summoned the little being a small padded chair so that she could sit while she explained. "The High Elves is being creating an ancient ritual to being severing the bonds between them and wizards when they is being leaving this realm for another, but it is only being used by the elves that is being wanting to being leaving their wizarding families behind. The information and the ritual is being left behind in case other elves is being wanting to return to the High Elves, but much of the information is being lost through the centuries. The ritual is being remaining, but it is not working like it is supposed to being working. If Brown and his followers is being using the ritual to sever the bond being between my master and me, they will being severing the bond being between themselves and all of their house elves."

" _All_ of their house elves?" asked Severus in a high-pitched voice.

"Yes, Lord Daddy," the elf replied, "all of their house elves, from every person being participating in the ritual."

"Where would they go?" Draco asked softly, a calculating gleam in his eye.

"They would being coming here," Sandie replied, "since I is being the one who is being offended by the magic. Since we is all being part of the same clan, we is all being keeping in contact in one way or another, and I is being knowing that there is being very experienced nanny elves as well as gardening elves and other types of elves among the ones that is being coming here."

"It's _perfect_ ," Harrison said gleefully with a wide grin on his face, looking at his father and dad with shining eyes. "Now you can have help when your children arrive, and Mum Narcissa will have help, as well, as will Aunt Bella. Do you know how many elves these revolutionaries have?"

"They is being having a total of sixty-four elves."

* * *

Brown, Blishwick, Burke, and Urquart were _exhausted_. They'd had to contribute a substantial amount of blood, as well as magical energy to the ritual, to ensure that the bond would be severed, and it had taken a great deal out of the four of them. Collapsing to the floor where they stood, Buster panted harshly for a few moments, trying to get his frantically beating heart to calm before he called his house elf for a blood replenishing potion and an energy restorative. "Nipsy," he rasped weakly, wincing at the soreness of his throat. The nonstop chanting over the last few hours had also taken its toll. Several moments passed with no response, and Brown frowned. "Nipsy!" he barked louder, his senses returning to normal, and with it, his impatience. When he still received no response, he mustered up enough energy to stand and stagger from the ritual room and out into the hallway, staring at the condition of his manor.

A thin film of dust layered every surface he could see, and there was debris everywhere. The fine furniture was overturned, with tears in the cushions, and portraits were damaged and on the floor. It seemed that the elves, once having been freed from the restrictive, oppressive bonds to their former master, had taken a bit of vindictive pleasure in returning the _tender loving care_ they had received from their former master before leaving for their new home. "What the _hell_?" Burke asked incredulously as he stared at the damage.

* * *

Sixty four house elves stood in the receiving room of the Keep, all waiting for assignments from their new master. Tom looked at all the eager faces with amusement, whilst Severus stared in horror at the abundance of little beings that would soon be under foot. "Senior elves, raise your hands." Four elderly elves raised their hands, standing tall. "What are your names?"

"I is being Ducky," the oldest looking one said.

"I is being Peanut," one with clear blue eyes said.

"I is being Lexie," the only female said.

"I is being Drackie," the last one said.

"Peanut will be the head house elf for House Riddle," Tom said. The house elf instantly had a Riddle uniform on, and he practically danced over to stand beside Riddle. "Lexie will be head house elf for House Weasley." She received a lovely gingham plaid ruffled dress with an apron, bowed and popped over to the Burrow, to the everlasting shock of Molly. Harrison's head was in the floo, explaining things to the Weasley matriarch, but she was still stunned at the good fortune continuing to befall her family. "Drackie will be head house elf for House Malfoy." He received the same tailored suit that Dobby wore, and popped over to Malfoy Manor, appearing at Lucius' side, surprising the blond. He'd received a notice that he would be receiving a cadre of new house elves, to supplement his existing staff which, to be fair, had dwindled greatly in the last few years, and he was exceedingly grateful to be getting experienced helpers once again. "Finally, Duckie will be head house elf for House Lestrange." The uniform of the Lestrange house elves appeared on the elf, and he bowed before popping away.

"Now, I would like all nanny elves to please gather over here." A group of about fifteen elves gathered into a group. "Experienced potions assistants over here." Six elves separated themselves from the rest and stood in a small group. "Gardening elves over here." Eighteen elves split off from the remaining elves and gathered in a group away from the rest. "Excellent. The rest of you will be household elves. Now. Five of the nanny elves will be with the Lestrange household; five will be with the Malfoy household, and five will be with the Riddle household. Three of the potions elves will be with the Weasley twins, and three will be with Severus. Six of the gardening elves will be with the Malfoy household, six will be with the Riddle household, and six will be with the Weasley household. And finally, seven household elves will be with the Malfoys, seven with the Weasleys, and seven with us."

The elves all gathered together to discuss things amongst themselves, to decide who would best fit with which family, before they gathered into separate groups and popped away, leaving just one large group left, looking at their master for their first orders. "Peanut, you will ensure that every elf has a Riddle uniform. Then you are to ensure that the rooms to the back of the castle are refurbished and converted into quarters for all of you. Change and decorate them how you like, but make sure that they are large enough, and are partitioned for privacy. There will be no restrictions on mating, and make sure that there is a nursery attached to your living spaces. I also want you to create entertainment spaces for yourselves. You will have free time to do with what you wish; make sure you have plenty of space in which to enjoy yourselves. Dismissed."

* * *

"Hey, Blaise?" Harrison said softly. It was nearing the end of the school year, and the raven had approached the dark-skinned Italian hesitantly, a light blush on his face. The other boy quirked a brow curiously, a small smirk of amusement on his face.

"How can I help you, Harrison?"

"Well…um…you see…um…well…um…it's like this…um…" the emerald eyed teen stammered, the blush deepening with each word. "D-Draco and I h-have been re-receiving a lot o-of submissions from au-authors lately, an-and s-some of them are a b-bit…bit…t-too…um… _erotic_ ," said in a stage whisper, "for us to get through. Do you think your mum could help us out with those?"

Perfectly sculpted dark brows skated into his hairline as Blaise fought to hold in his laughter for a moment before he could answer. Finally, he said, "I'll owl her and see what she has to say. She'll probably be able to provide a list of names of friends of hers who would be happy to be proofreaders and assistant editors for your publishing house."

"Thanks," the raven said with a relieved sigh and a wide grin. "From what Draco and I were _able_ to read without spontaneously combusting, the books look promising."

* * *

"Father, I've been looking at some of Mr. Davies' drawings, and they're quite beautiful," Harrison murmured as he held out the pages to Tom. The elder Riddle took them gently and spread them out on his desktop, looking them over carefully. They were pen and ink sketches of women in flowing evening gowns, with hair piled high in upswept styles, jewels sparkling around necks and wrists. Their eyes twinkled with secret glints, and there were hints of smiles on their full, lush lips. Tom stood and strode to his filing cabinet. He pulled out a drawer, rifling through it for a moment before pulling out old, yellowed newsprint. He took it back over to the desk, spreading it out above the pictures and comparing them.

"These are remarkable, and they remind me of the old advertisements I'd seen in the muggle newspapers when I was a child," his father murmured, pointing from Ray's drawings to the adverts. "They have that old, nostalgic feel to them, and they're very beautiful, as well. Tell you what. Have Roger contact his father when you return to school, and send him here. I have a proposition I'd like to discuss with him."

* * *

"Roger," Harrison called to the Ravenclaw as they were on their way to Charms.

"Yeah, Harrison?"

"My father would like to talk to yours some time this week. Send him a letter notifying him of the meeting."

"Is…is my father in trouble?" Roger asked nervously.

"No," Harrison replied with a grin, looping an arm companionably around the other boy's shoulders. He huffed a laugh as Roger's shoulders relaxed with relief. "He just wants to talk to your dad about a business proposition."

"Oh, okay, then," Davies' said cheerfully, smiling widely as they entered the charms classroom.

Later that week, Ray walked cautiously into Tom's study, bowing his head respectfully. "You wished to speak with me, my Lord?"

"Please, I told you, none of that 'Lord' stuff. We're all friends and business associates. Now, come in and have a seat. I have an interesting business proposal I wish to discuss with you." Heaving a silent sigh of relief, Davies took the seat opposite Tom's, paying close attention to the other man. "I've had a good look at the pen and ink drawings you'd submitted to my son for inspection, and I must say that they are quite lovely."

"Thank you, Tom," Ray replied with a bow of his head and a slight blush.

"They remind me of the old-fashioned adverts that used to run in the muggle newspapers in the 1930's. That inspired me to consider asking you to open an advertising agency in Knockturn Alley. We still have plenty of open, marketable space, and we could use someone like you to create the adverts for the movies that we will show in the future, as well as the adverts for the products that we will sell.

"We've also got some of the young ladies interested in creating new fashions, based off of some of the muggle fashions they've seen in the muggle magazines, and you'd be perfect to draw up the full-page ads for the fashion magazines that my son's publishing house will also be putting out. As well, we'll need someone to create advertising to fill the technological magazines, and news magazines, and the other periodicals that we design and create, so you will need to get in touch with other artists to fill your stable of talents.

"We intend to expand outwards, by taking up lands that are uninhabited by the muggles, or are uninhabitable by the muggles, and claiming them as our own. As well, I believe we may be able to _create_ some more land masses on which to live, so that we can increase our numbers and protect ourselves better as well. We will need that space if we are to grow and advance as a species, and it all begins with us."


	47. Chapter 47

**Forty-seventh**

The end of year tests had been taken, and everyone was relaxing before the leaving feast and the start of the summer holidays. "Draco, would you like to visit Hagrid with me?" Harrison asked softly. "My father wished for me to talk with him, to tender his apologies for getting Hagrid in trouble when they were in school together, and he wants to offer the man the opportunity to finish his magical education."

"Sure, Harrison," the blond chirped happily, getting up from the sofa in front of Severus' fire and taking his fiancé's hand. The pair made their way out of the castle and to the half-giant's hut, chattering excitedly about their upcoming field trip. Though the raven was glad not to be taking Care of Magical Creatures since Kettleburn was 'retired' and Hagrid had taken his place, he missed spending time with his giant friend. He tapped gently on the wooden portal, shifting nervously, unsure of his welcome since his sorting into Slytherin and the headmaster's incarceration.

The door swung open, and Fang launched himself out and onto the boys, knocking them to the ground and covering them with doggy drool as he enthusiastically welcomed them to his home, his tail wagging so fiercely that he'd taken out a good many plants and flowers that surrounded the doorway. "Down, Fang," the large man grumbled good-naturedly, bending over to pry the boarhound off of the soaking wet teens. They grimaced as they stood, wiping futilely at the slimy mess that covered their faces and flinging their hands out, trying desperately to rid themselves of the copious amounts of saliva that had drenched them. Chuckling, Hagrid bade the boys to enter his hut, sitting them by the fire so that they could dry off. "Wha' brings yeh 'ere, fellers?" he asked softly, a fond smile on his face for one of his most favorite people in the world.

"Well, first I wanted to apologize for neglecting to visit you these past few years," Harrison began sheepishly. "With things changing so much, I barely had time to take it all in, and…well…I sort of forgot about you. I didn't mean to! I just…just…had family for the first time in my life, and forgot about everything else."

"S'all righ' 'arrison," Hagrid replied softly, laying a large hand on the distraught teen's shoulder. "I unnerstan'. I shoulda le' Sirius take yeh when 'e ast me ter." There was real regret in the half-giant's voice, and tears shimmered in the man's dark eyes.

"What do you mean, Hagrid?" Harrison asked curiously. The giant took a seat and prepared himself for a long story.

"When yer da came an' killed yer mum an' James, I was the firs' one ter get ter the cottage. I was ast by perfesser Dumbledore ter watch over yeh 'til 'e got there. Sirius came an' saw the damage, an' knew who done the betrayin'. 'e wanted ter take yeh righ' away, bu' I 'ad me orders, so 'e gave me 'is flyin' mo'orbike ter get yeh ter safety. When the perfesser came, 'e was all set ter take yeh ter yer muggle relatives. Sumpin' din' set righ' wi' me, an' I protested sumpin' fierce, but the perfesser 'ad ter 'ave 'is way. I shoulda given yeh ter Sirius when I 'ad the chance." By this time, tears of guilt were streaming down Hagrid's face, and Harrison's heart was heavy with compassion for his giant friend. Rising from his chair, he went and hugged the large man, whispering words of comfort in his ear.

"It's all right, Hagrid. I understand completely. Dumbledore gave you the chance to be someone when no one else would. He gave you a life of which to be proud, and all he expected from you was complete obedience and devotion. Of course, being the Chief Mugwump, he could have had you exonerated, but it wouldn't do to have one of his best pawns _too_ independent." Drawing back, the raven looked into that hairy face with a broad smile. "That's why _I'm_ here." He reached into his robe pocket and brought out a certificate. He handed it to the half-giant, watching as the man opened and read the parchment.

 _Rubeus Hagrid,_

 _It is with deep sorrow and regret that we, the wizarding world and the Ministry of Magic, must apologize for keeping you from what was yours from birth. Because of foolishness on the part of a wounded and hurting child, you were made to suffer without full access to your magic. On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, hereby grant you a full pardon, and give you permission to purchase a brand new wand. Your name has been cleared as the person who was responsible for releasing the monster in Hogwarts that had killed a student in 1943, and you are free to pursue gainful employment in any field you desire._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Lucius Malfoy_

 _Minister of Magic_

"I…I don' know wha' ter say," he mumbled, his beard soaked with happy tears. Harrison just grinned wider and handed him another letter.

 _Dear Rubeus,_

 _I am very sorry for getting you into trouble in 1943. You see, I was a very damaged child back then. I had grown up in a volatile, abusive environment, and my hatred, which had started with my treatment by the muggles I was forced to stay with, had just grown deeper with the treatment I'd received in the wizarding world. I didn't think that the muggleborns deserved to be part of the wizarding world, because they came from muggles, so I was set on getting rid of them. It was my fault that Myrtle Warren died, and it was my fault that you were punished wrongly. When she died, they were threatening to close the school, my only sanctuary away from the abuse, and I couldn't have that. You and Aragog provided the perfect scapegoats on which to pin the crime, and, being the totally selfish asshat that I was, I took full advantage of that._

 _To make up for my heinous and wholly selfish crime, I wish for you to come to Slytherin Keep this weekend with Harrison and I and retrieve a new wand. Mykew Gregorovitch will be here to make it for you. He is a close, personal friend of mine, and he will make it free of charge, as a personal favor to me for all the suffering I had caused you all these years. As well, I have made arrangements for you to go to the giant colony in the Everest mountains, to learn how to harness your giant magic. When you have suitably learned all you can about your giant heritage, you will finish your wizarding education at Beauxbaton's. Madam Maxime is looking forward to teaching you herself._

 _I know that this will never make up for all the suffering I have caused you, but I hope that it will, in some small way, go to easing it, if only just a little. You are very important to my son, so that makes you very important to me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Tom Marvolo Riddle  
_

* * *

The end of term train ride came, and everyone was in the Slytherin carriage, playing games and chattering happily. The boys were excited for their Africa trip, but Harrison was doubly excited; Hagrid was going to meet his father and he at Slytherin Keep, where he was going to get a new wand before he would take a portkey to the Everest peaks, and the giant enclave located there. "What did Hagrid say about the invitation?" Tom asked softly, his hand carding through his son's hair.

"He couldn't stop sniffling long enough to speak," Draco replied with laughter in his voice. "He nodded his head so hard that I thought I heard a bone pop in his neck, he was so happy. I'm sure he'll be waiting outside the wards like an eager little puppy."

"Before we left the hut, he wrapped his arms around Draco and hugged him so tight, I thought my boyfriend's head would pop off," Harrison chirped, giggling slightly.

" _Merlin_ , but that man's arms are strong," the blond groused, rubbing his sides in remembered pain.

"I had to fling some overpowered stinging hexes at his hands to get him to let go," the raven continued. "I didn't want my boyfriend to suffocate before I had the chance to _marry_ him, after all." Draco blushed to the roots of his hair, eyes on his toes at the passion in Harrison's voice.

"I am glad that he is willing to accept my apology," Tom said, smiling at his family. "No magical being should be denied the right to his or her magic, and I did that to Hagrid with no thought to how it would affect him. I never realized how it would stunt his growth, both intellectually and magically, until I started doing some research. I only hope that it's not too late to fix the damage I've done to him."

"It is never too late to right a wrong, Tom," Severus replied softly, soothingly. "You've begun to heal him just by reaching out to him. By showing that you care enough to make amends has begun his road to recovery. He will be a better man, once he has completed his training in both the giant and wizarding magics. You've done the right thing."

"Thank you, love."

* * *

"Cor," Hagrid murmured in wonder, eyes permanently wide as he stared around in wonder at the splendor of Slytherin Keep. "I ne'er though' ol' Slytherin had sumpin' _this_ beau'iful."

"Thank you, Hagrid," Tom said with a bow of his head and a smile. "This is the only castle left standing. The other manors had been raided and destroyed, once Salazar's true intentions had been found out. I had believed, for a long time, in his ideals of blood purity, but since Harrison came into my life, he's taught me that it isn't the blood that matters so much as it is the _magic_. As well, I was a monumental hypocrite for believing that halfbloods were inferior, considering that I, myself, am a halfblood. It's amazing what the love of a child can do to you; how much healing magic there is in the love of family." They went to the solarium, the only room big enough to contain Hagrid, where Sirius and Remus were waiting. It was a fond reunion for a bit as the Marauders reacquainted themselves with their friend, wandering down memory lane together as they talked of times past. The clearing of a throat startled them out of their reminiscences, and they turned to see Gregorovitch standing at the door, a scowl on his face. Hagrid paled slightly, afraid that he wouldn't pass muster enough for the wandmaker to want to create his new wand.

"Rubeus Hagrid," Mykew growled with a nod of his head, "if you will step over to this table, we will get started."

"Don't worry, Hagrid," Neville murmured to the man, "I felt the same way when he made _my_ wand, and it's _perfect_. He will not fail you." Gregorovitch heard the reassurance and smiled slightly with pride. Standing up straighter, the half-giant carefully made his way to a long table, where the wandmaker was laying out blocks of wood.

"These are the woods that will make up your wand," Gregorovitch said softly. "Since you are a wizard/giant hybrid, you will require two woods and two cores in order for the wand to work with both sides of your magical core. Pick up or touch each block of wood until you find the two pieces that resonate with you best." Hagrid stroked a finger along each block of wood; it was when he touched the alder wood that he jerked his hand back as if his finger had been stung. "Excellent. I know of your reputation; you are always there to lend a hand, always willing to be the first to help, no matter the need. This wood will match you perfectly. Be warned, however; it is a wood that is suited to the most advanced wizard, so I expect you to excel at your studies."

Nodding, a little gobsmacked, Hagrid continued to touch the woods. When he stroked the apple wood, he received the same shock, which pleased Gregorovitch. "This wood is joined with your giant blood. Its affinity is most attuned to those who can communicate with all manner of magical creatures. Once you've finished your training in the giant enclave, you will find that you are a natural speaker of all forms of magical creature languages. It is why they come to you, and why they feel so comfortable around you."

"Blimey," Hagrid whispered softly, blushing at the unreserved praise he'd just received. It was the first time that anyone had _ever_ told him he was good for _anything_ , and he didn't know quite what to do with it.

"Now," Gregorovitch said as he put away the wood and pulled out the cores, "we will find which cores to put into your wand." Eager to have the wand that would be a perfect fit for him, Hagrid started picking up the cores as soon as they were laid out. The unicorn hair made his teeth vibrate, and Mykew gently took it from him with a smile. The final piece of the puzzle was the dragon heartstring, which was also taken. "Give me two hours, and you will have a wand that is perfect for you."

"Thank you, Mykew," Tom said as he shook the man's hand. "Before you leave, I would like to discuss an idea with you."

* * *

"Thank you, Father," Harrison said as he curled up in Tom's lap. They were in the office, waiting for Gregorovitch to join them, chatting about the look on Hagrid's face as he portkeyed away to his new life.

"It's only what I owed him for destroying his life," his father replied softly. "I had been doing research, and I found out that what I did to him when my accusations prevented him from gaining his full magical education was cruel and inhumane. Even though he had put pieces of his snapped wand in that umbrella, it had never worked quite right for him again, and the connection was drastically weakened. Because of that, his magical core was unable to grow and strengthen, which left his magic stunted.

"Magical growth is linked to intellectual growth, so he wasn't able to learn as much or as quickly as others. By my actions, I had basically turned him into a squib. When I read that, the guilt just _ate_ at me. The things I had done, to people who deserved _none_ of it…I am trying to atone for that now, but I don't think that there's anything I could _ever_ do that will absolve me of all my sins against the innocents I've harmed; the lives I've destroyed." There was such pain in Tom's voice that it hurt his son's heart, and Harrison wrapped his arms around his father's neck and buried his face in his father's hair, tears falling unchecked from his eyes.

It was into this solemn quiet that Gregorovitch entered the office. He waited quietly for the emotional storm to pass, watching the former Dark Lord with quiet pride, glad for the changes that had been wrought to the brilliant man. Finally the tensions eased, and Mykew stepped forward, bowing shallowly before taking the seat in front of the desk. "You wished to speak with me?"

"Yes," Tom said, then had to clear his throat and start again. "Yes. You said something interesting when you were talking to Hagrid, about the two sides of his heritage needing two different woods and cores for the wand to really work for him. Why don't other wandmakers do that?"

"Other wandmakers just concentrate on the wizard part of the customer, and ignore the creature part," Gregorovitch replied with a moue of distaste. "They believe that the wizard part is stronger, therefore it should be the one to which the wand should bond. That, of course, is ridiculous. When a magical is a wizard/creature hybrid, he or she is equal parts wizard and creature, and therefore his or her magical core is equal parts wizard and creature. It is why so many wizard/creature hybrids have such difficulties with their wands; the creature part of them never really bonds with the wand."

"I see," Tom murmured thoughtfully. "Since this is an area that you are, obviously, an expert in, how would you like to set up a wand shop in Knockturn Alley? It would cater specifically to wizard/creature hybrids, thereby ensuring that they have the same advantages as full-blooded wizards."

"I am not sure that such a shop would be profitable," Mykew said hesitantly. "Not many wizards willingly bond with creatures, and, let's face it, creatures tend to turn their noses up at wizards."

"Perhaps not here, in Great Britain, but I'm pretty sure that the 'standards' are quite different in other magical communities, where the bigotry isn't quite as… _virulent_. We have an advertising agency in the Alley right now, and they can put out adverts telling the entirety of the wizarding world about your shop, and the specialty wands you create. I am sure that magicals from far and wide will come to buy your wands, especially when they get testimonials from wizard/creature hybrids for whom you've already made wands. We can start with professor Flitwick, and go from there," Tom told the man, sure that this was a niche that needed to be addressed.

"We… _could_ ," Mykew replied slowly and thoughtfully. "Professor Flitwick has an internationally known reputation as a dueling master. If we can get other wizard/creature hybrids as famous as he to talk up my wands, it could work."

"We'll work on it during the next school year," Draco chirped happily. "Right now, we need to get ready for our trip to Africa."


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N:** One of my reviewers, daithi4377, reminded me of a dear friend of Hagrid's that needed some tender loving care. I hope this satisfies.

* * *

 **Forty-eighth**

Loud barking sounded throughout the Keep as the boys brought down their trunks and set them in the entry hall. "Ah, our 'guest' has arrived," Tom quipped with amusement dancing in his eyes. Harrison giggled as he turned to Sirius, a wicked grin on his face.

"I have a bit of a surprise for you, Padfoot," the raven said softly. At that moment, Lucius rounded the corner of the floo room behind a bounding boarhound, who made a beeline for Sirius, bowling him over and drowning him with his tongue. Giggling erupted from the boys as they watched Harrison's godfather struggle and whimper under the dog's assault. Laughing for all he was worth, Remus finally got himself enough under control to pull Fang off of the soaking wet man.

"What the _hell_?" Sirius squeaked, trying desperately not to shiver with disgust as he whipped out his wand and frantically dried himself off.

"Hagrid's pet needed somewhere to stay whilst he was away, learning what he had been denied," Lucius intoned with amusement. "Tom graciously offered to put the animal up here, since he would have suitable company."

"Yeah," Neville chimed in happily, "Fang can also help Remus with the full moons so that you don't get too worn out, Sirius."

"That's…actually…a really good idea," the animagus said thoughtfully, looking at the exuberant dog with new eyes. "He _does_ seem to have limitless energy."

"We couldn't, in all conscience, leave him at Hogwarts, where he would have been neglected," Harrison said softly, scratching Fang behind the ears and earning a shudder of satisfaction. "I told Hagrid that we would take very good care of him. He trusts us with his dearest friend, and I don't want to fail him."

"We'll take really good care of him while you are gone, Harrison," Remus said with a smile. "Don't worry. Now, you lot had best be on your way. The International Portkey leaves in two hours."

* * *

They were standing at the gate to the International Portkey that went to Africa, saying their goodbyes for the summer.

"Don't worry about anything, Tom. I'll make sure that everything runs smoothly while you're gone," Lucius reassured the man.

"You are Minister for a _reason_ , Lucius. I've done very little to enact the changes made to the British magical world. I've only made suggestions; you've taken them and run full tilt with them. I'm so very proud of the work you've accomplished, in such a short amount of time. It speaks very well of the future I have planned for you."

"Thank you, Tom," the elder Malfoy said with a blush, bowing his head. "I appreciate all the faith you have in me, though the job is a bit more exhausting than I had first thought."

"Why don't you and Mother come with us, Father," Draco said reasonably. "I'm sure you both could do with a vacation."

"As tempting as that is, son, I, unfortunately, cannot. I cannot leave the management of the Ministry to the underlings we have in place right now; they are wholly unsuitable."

"Do not worry about your parents, Draco," Tom reassured the blond. "I have arranged for both Narcissa and Bella to be pampered fairly regularly at an exclusive spa and resort specifically designed for expectant mothers. It is the least I can do for the woman who is willing to carry Severus' and my twins, and the woman I had treated so abysmally whilst I was out of my head."

"Rodolphus, Rabastan and I plan on getting away to Paris with Sirius, Remus, Thorfinn and Barty once in a while, as well," Lucius added softly. "I did promise Sirius a 'boys night out' there, and I think that this would be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other better, as well as allow Sirius to reconnect with his childhood friends. It will also give me an opportunity to vet some of the other up-and-comers in the Ministry; see who may be suitable for higher positions in the future. Do not worry so, son. I do intend to relax when I can."

* * *

Harrison inhaled deeply as the group stood on the veranda of the Potter home, sighing happily as he looked up at his father. "It smells _wonderful_ here. So exotic and rich with life."

"Indeed," Severus concurred, an excited gleam in his ebon eyes. "I can smell a variety of different plants that I would like to collect."

"I don't know about any of _you_ ," Neville grumbled good-naturedly, "but _I_ am _knackered_. That was a hella long international trip, and it took quite a bit out of me."

"Agreed," Draco mumbled, swaying slightly. Harrison worriedly put his arm around his fiancé's shoulders, looking into droopy silver eyes with concern. "M'all right, Harrison," the blond reassured his boyfriend with a shy smile. "Just a little tired."

"We will have dinner with the Longbottoms, who are due to arrive in a few moments, then rest tonight," Tom said to the group as they re-entered the villa. "We'll start exploring tomorrow."

* * *

"Merlin's hairy balls," Augusta murmured in wonder as she looked around the château that Harrison had graciously lent her for the summer. It was spacious and clean, with a very open, airy floor plan. It had plenty of suites in which to house her many friends, who would be arriving in dribs and drabs over the coming week, and she was looking forward to the plentiful exciting things they would be doing on this long overdue vacation. "I must thank that wonderful young man for watching out for my grandson," she murmured to herself as she went to choose a suite of rooms for her stay. "His choice to save himself from the abuse he'd suffered since his parents' deaths caused ripples that had such phenomenal, far-reaching consequences.

"I know that there are some who would condemn his decision as selfish, but I understand that choice, and I applaud it. It gave me a grandson who became stronger, both magically and within himself. It gave me back my children, who I thought I would never see whole and happy again. It gave a purpose to my life again, and I wouldn't change any of it for all the galleons, or all the _goodness and light_ in the world."

* * *

Padfoot danced around Moony, nipping at his heels playfully, trying to get the werewolf to come and play. It was the first full moon since the addition of the boarhound, and Fang sat back on his haunches, muscles bunched tensely as he sniffed the air cautiously. The wolf _smelled_ like the gentle human who had wormed his way into the dog's heart with his kindness; especially with the way he scratched Fang's belly. However, he didn't _look_ or _act_ like the human; he was hairy and gruff, and growled lowly in his throat. The werewolf snapped at Padfoot's snout, warning him to back off, and Sirius stopped, sitting and watching warily as Moony approached the boarhound, head and tail high.

Fang's hackles rose on his back as the werewolf approached, and he hunkered down, growling low in his throat for a moment, before he sniffed the air one more time. Then, suddenly, he let out a small yip and rolled over on his back, baring his neck and belly in instant submission to the alpha wolf and showing that he understood the hierarchy of the pack. Moony stepped up to the boarhound and licked the dog's snout enthusiastically, showing his approval, then darted away with a howl, urging the other two canines to follow him into the night's adventures.

* * *

"Where the fuck _are_ we?" Brown barked loudly, looking around with wide eyes.

"I think we're in the Andes mountains," Urquart mumbled quietly, staring at the ruins in front of him. They had landed near the ruins of the indigenous peoples of the Caranqui tribes, thought to be extinct hundreds of years ago, and were sifting through the rubble, looking for any sign of Riddle or the bastard who had stolen him. They tossed aside relics that were part of the alters used to make the human sacrifices to the gods, desecrating the sacred temples and altars without care, unaware of the eyes watching them from the surrounding vegetation.

"Well," Burke growled after several minutes of fruitless searching, "I don't see them here. I do see, however, some rather priceless relics that would look rather nice in my shop. They have just the right _feel_ to them, too."

"I…I'm not sure you should take anything from here," Blishwick murmured softly. "I've been feeling like someone's been watching me for a while now."

"Nonsense," Brown scoffed with a sneer. "Those savages have been gone for hundreds of years. They're not going to miss any of this." As Burke began to stuff the jeweled cups and bowls into his wizard-expanded pouch, the vegetation surrounding the ruined temple began to shake and tremble, and forms began to emerge from their shadows, carrying spears, broadswords, and all manner of weapons. Many also carried crude wands in their hands. The four intruders' eyes widened in terror as they watched the Caranqui Indians approach them menacingly, the shamans in full costume as they raised their wands to start casting their curses.

"Fuck, we're in for it now," Urquart bellowed as he turned tail and ran, stumbling over the stones and roots as he fled. Burke dropped his satchel and followed, leaving behind Brown and Blishwick, who were frozen to the spot in terror. The spell that the shaman cast hit Brown in the chest, turning him into a spider monkey. Squealing in fear, Blishwick scooped him up and pelted after the other two men, narrowly avoiding the other spell as it flew over her ducking head.

"When we get back to England," she panted as the monkey clung tightly to her, "I'm going to kick your everloving arse."

* * *

"I thought we'd take in a show, first," Lucius said as the men stepped out of the apparition room near the Eiffel tower in Paris. It was Remus and Thorfinn, Sirius and Barty, Lucius, Rabastan and Rodolphus. Narcissa and Bella were taking advantage of the spa, and were staying the night. "There's a muggle play called Le Cage aux Folles, and I hear it's brilliant. Since we're trying to incorporate more muggle entertainments into our world, I thought we could do a little 'research', and enjoy ourselves at the same time."

"That's a good idea, Lucius," Remus replied. "We've already seen movies and television; Sirius has seen different types of dance. The only thing we haven't explored yet is plays. I know London has a great theatre district, but we haven't had the chance to check it out yet."

"After that, we'll go have dinner, and then I'd like to have a romantic evening alone with Barty," Sirius said, eyeing the smaller man hungrily. Crouch, Jr. blushed to the roots of his dark hair at the look in the animagus' blue eyes, looking down shyly.

"We will give you that," Rodolphus murmured with a smirk. "I think Lucius, Rab and I can find entertainments for ourselves so the four of you can have some privacy the rest of the night."

* * *

"Is…is that a _lion_?" Neville asked nervously as the group trekked through the jungle. Harrison looked in the direction Nev was pointing and grinned widely at the big cat, walking toward it fearlessly.

" _Harrison_ ," Draco hissed fearfully, silver eyes wide with terror. Severus tensed, wand in hand and pointed at the predator as he watched his son approach the animal. The cat opened his mouth in a roar, then settled down, staring at the fourteen year old as the boy approached and spoke to him. All eyes widened comically as Harrison reached up and scratched the snout of the lion, and they could clearly hear both the giggle and the loud purr of contentment from the big cat. The teen spoke to the lion for a few moments more, then reached up and took several hairs from the lion's mane before bowing his head and returning to the group, a wide grin on his face.

"Don't you _ever_ do anything like that _again_ ," Severus snarled as he wrapped his arms around his son, trembling from fear.

"It's all right, Dad," the boy replied softly, returning the hug and snuggling into the Potions Master's arms. "I know what I'm doing. How else do you think I get the ingredients you covet so?"

"Be that as it may, next time, take me with you," Tom said, ruffling his son's hair affectionately. "I would like to meet these animals, too, you know."

"I'll do that, Father," the teen replied with laughter in his voice.

* * *

"Two weeks! We've been back from that gods-forsaken jungle for two weeks and we _still_ don't know where they are!" Urquart bellowed. "Not only that, Brown's still a gods-be-damned _monkey_! I don't know what kind of spell that witchdoctor used on him, but we can't seem to break it." Tom's friends had to fight hard to hold in their laughter as the spider monkey swung from the chandelier, screaming and chittering loudly as he flung his feces at Burke angrily, rightfully blaming him for the predicament in which he found himself.

"He's right, you know," Blishwick said softly, smirking as a particularly smelly, sticky piece of poo splatted into Burke's face and stuck to the middle of his forehead. "It _is_ your fault. If you hadn't have tried to steal those relics from the temple, none of this would have happened."

"How the hell was I supposed to know that those savages were still alive?!" Caractacus bellowed, flinging his arms around. "All records state that they'd gone extinct several hundred years ago. Who was I to question those historical documents?"

"Historical documents collected by _muggles_ ," Urquart said with disgust. "You trusted a bunch of useless, idiotic _muggles_ to know what they were doing. In case you didn't notice, since you were fleeing for your life, those savages had _wands_ , which made them _wizards_. Wizards outlive muggles by a substantial margin, and we know how to keep ourselves _hidden_. If we don't want to be found, we _won't_. It's no _wonder_ the pathetic muggles thought that they were extinct."

"Well, yeah, now that you put it _that_ way, I should have known better. But those relics were just _laying around_. _Anyone_ could have picked them up. Might as well have been me. I could have made so much money from them; so many Dark families would have loved to have added them to their collections."

"They weren't _yours_ ," Josephine said disgustedly, which was emphasized by a golden shower on Burke's head by the monkey. "You can't go around just taking whatever you want, simply because it's just _lying_ there. Your greed almost cost us our lives, and it could very well have cost Brown his humanity."


End file.
